Pulsatile Tinnitus: Diagnosis and Endovascular Management

Pulsatile tinnitus may be debilitating and can impact the patient's quality of life and sleep . PT often poses a diagnostic and management dilemma. Unlike nonpulsatile tinnitus, potentially treatable causes can be more readily identified in the majority of PT cases. Venous causes, including structural and/or flow abnormalities of the intracranial and extracranial venous structures, are reported as the most common causes of PT. Venous pathologies and variants as contributory diagnoses are often overlooked by clinicians and radiologists, despite being the most common cause for PT. Advances in cerebrovascular imaging and endovascular techniques may permit the identification of the cause for PT and permit consideration for potential endovascular therapeutic options. The objective of this presentation is to illustrate a broad range of venous causes for PT, with emphasis on endovascular considerations for the treatment of these disorders.