OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether in patients with acoustic neuroma (AN), the presence or absence of vestibular symptoms is related to the histologic characteristics of the tumor. STUDY DESIGN: The study design was a retrospective clinical study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A group of eight patients with unilateral AN and normal vestibular function was compared with a group of AN patients, matched for tumor size, with vestibular paresis. METHODS: The methods were vestibular examination of the patients and morphometric analysis of the histologic specimens of their tumors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were measured by vestibular function and by the relative quantity of Antoni type A or type B cell tissue. RESULTS: The tumors of patients with vestibular paresis appeared to contain significantly more Antoni B cells and fewer Antoni A cells than did the tumors of patients with normal vestibular function. CONCLUSIONS: Besides morphologic differences, type B cells may display a distinct behavior compared with type A cells. Presumably, in AN patients the development of a vestibular paresis appears to be related to the biologic activity of type B cells in the tumor.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether in patients with acoustic neuroma (AN), the presence or absence of vestibular symptoms is related to the histologic characteristics of the tumor. STUDY DESIGN: The study design was a retrospective clinical study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A group of eight patients with unilateral AN and normal vestibular function was compared with a group of AN patients, matched for tumor size, with vestibular paresis. METHODS: The methods were vestibular examination of the patients and morphometric analysis of the histologic specimens of their tumors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were measured by vestibular function and by the relative quantity of Antoni type A or type B cell tissue. RESULTS: The tumors of patients with vestibular paresis appeared to contain significantly more Antoni B cells and fewer Antoni A cells than did the tumors of patients with normal vestibular function. CONCLUSIONS: Besides morphologic differences, type B cells may display a distinct behavior compared with type A cells. Presumably, in AN patients the development of a vestibular paresis appears to be related to the biologic activity of type B cells in the tumor.