Comparison between caloric and canal impulse rotatory test.

It has been suggested that the rotatory test using videonystagmoscopy can also be applied for identification of vestibular canal paresis. In this study, we test this hypothesis by comparing the results of a canal impulse rotatory test with those of the caloric test using the method described by Freyss. Our study indicates that only in 38% of all tested patients, the same results between the two tests have been obtained. Furthermore, when the group with abnormal findings is observed separately, in 24% patients only these two test methods lead to the same results. Consequently, the canal impulse rotatory test cannot replace the caloric test.