Monothermal Caloric Screening Test Accuracy: A Systematic Review
Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Adams, M. E., Telian, S. A., et al. (2016).
Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 154(6), 982-996.
This systematic review investigates the accuracy of monothermal caloric screening test compared to bithermal caloric testing to rule out unilateral vestibular dysfunction for individuals experiencing undifferentiated dizziness.
No funding received
Through July 2015
Primary studies (not further specified)
15
When evaluating individuals experiencing dizziness for vestibular dysfunction, "the [monothermal caloric screening test] MCST is a plausible approach for triaging patients prior to the [bithermal caloric test] BCT but is not appropriate as a stand-alone test. The asymmetry measure (MCA) approximates that of the BCT ([unilateral weakness]UW) when all tested participants are considered together, suggesting that the MCST can predict the risk of having vestibular dysfunction on BCT. However, their values do not perfectly agree ... the evidence points to an MCA cutoff of 15% as a good starting point when seeking to establish an MCST protocol, giving a reasonable expectation of missing 5% or less of the people with disease and reducing the number of BCTs by half" (p. 993).
