Pulsatile tinnitus

I realize your post in over a month old. I'd be interested in knowing what you did (if anything yet).

My neuropathic doctor told me contrast dye is required to properly see the veins and arteries, etc. I can't have an MRI because I have very old dental crowns in back of my mouth (35-40 years ago) and they will almost certainly have some steel alloys beneath the gold.

I also don't want contrast dye because it's bad for the kidneys. But I may have to go for it as I've now had very loud (possibly) pulsatile tinnitus (I can't really tell if it's pulsing but I think so), which came on a month ago after treatment for an ear infection. It's on the same side as that ear.

After reading through many of these posts, the thing that jumps out at me is how these CT scans are rather inconclusive, or the neuologists diagnose one thing after reviewing the CT scan, but then upon further investigation find something else, or change their diagnosis. It's not very encouraging. Also, the CT scans also need contrast dye for the better imaging, which is bad for your kidneys - particularly if one is older.

Also, I can't have MRIs due to very old dental crowns that will surely have some steel/metal in them (got them 35+ years ago). The PT came on a few days after treatment for an ear infection (same side - unilateral PT). So is it just a temporary post-infection thing, or did the infection damage things enough to bring on permanent PT? Chicken and egg. I guess I wait another week then go for CT with contrast.

@aldo2
Thought i should share: im a Mayo patient. I have gold crowns from well overv30 years ago. These do not affect scans, per the radiologists there. Also, I had a partial nephrectomy last Oct to remove 2 tumors from my left kidney. I also have a 3+ cm on my right kidney. Cancer is gone, but they're "watching" them. Additionally i had a tumor removed from the bifurcation of my carotid artery last month. Since last yr when all this was discovered, I can't begin to say how many CTs & MRIs I've had. Going back for surgery followup end of next month. Have MRIs scheduled for head & neck and CTs scheduled for chest, abdomen and pelvis.

3+cm is a cyst on my right kidney, not a tumor.

My Mayo neurologist referred me to Mayo ENT due to pulsatile tinnitus. I saw Ryan Stewart, he was fantastic! He ordered additional testing due to my symptoms, one of the tests being a temporal bone CT. They discovered a pretty sizeable Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence.

I realize your post was years ago but thought I'd see if you are still online. During the pulsatile tinnitus, did you also get some spasticity and/or cramping in both of your legs? The sounds I get mostly when laying down sound sort of like wind - hard to explain, and at the same time, my legs usually cramp and spasm. I've been checked over the years with some slight things found but nothing definite yet. I'm seeing my cardiologist in a few weeks to get checked out again. I hope you are doing okay now.

@kicker113640 Agree. Me too. White noise might work for regular tinnitus hum, but not for my pulsating tinnitus. I think many of us have the same issue where it can be all day, or a bit less noticeable during the day - but evenings and bed time are torture..

@pthilges Hi good they found something - that's a hole in the thin bony plate, right? But then what? Complex surgery? Less invasive surgery? Plug the hole? Did it work? Good luck in any case, but interested to know outcome. Cheers.

@gangcarotid1 Thanks and sorry for long delay in reply. That's encouraging to learn about the gold crowns. I have three in back of my mouth from late 80s early 90s. But I also have a few the same age that are porcelain bound to steel of some kind. Did you actually have an MRI or were you just relaying what the radiologist said?

@aldo2
I actually had MRIs. Day 1 I had MRI of my brain where they'd previously seen on the edge of a neck MRI something suspicious on my inner table skull, with and without contrast. Day 2, I had MRI of my neck where they'd removed
the tumor from my carotid artery, with and without contrast. Additionally, Day 3 I had CT scans with and without contrast, on my chest, abdomen, pelvis. All went fine.
My Mayo surgeons actually put notes in the surgical after-surgery notes about the clips they'd used in both surgeries, as well as the coil they used to reroute blood flow away from the carotid tumor, explaining it was a safe variety for MRIs & CTs.