Vestibular disorders: AICA infarction: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Vestibular disorders: AICA infarction

Sample item

A 66-year-old has sudden vertigo with ipsilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, facial weakness and limb ataxia. Which vessel is most likely occluded?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Anterior inferior cerebellar artery

The labyrinthine artery usually arises from the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, so AICA infarction causes sudden vertigo with deafness and tinnitus, plus facial weakness and ipsilateral ataxia from involvement of the lateral pons and middle cerebellar peduncle. PICA infarction (lateral medullary syndrome) spares hearing and the face.

Option by option

  • A. Posterior cerebral artery

    The posterior cerebral artery supplies the occipital lobe and thalamus, not the labyrinth.

  • B. Anterior inferior cerebellar artery (correct)

    Correct. AICA supplies the inner ear, lateral pons and cerebellum, giving this combination.

  • C. Superior cerebellar artery

    Superior cerebellar artery occlusion causes ataxia and contralateral loss of pain and temperature without hearing loss.

  • D. Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

    PICA occlusion causes lateral medullary syndrome with hoarseness and Horner syndrome, without deafness.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, Anterior inferior cerebellar artery. The labyrinthine artery usually arises from the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, so AICA infarction causes sudden vertigo with deafness and tinnitus, plus facial weakness and ipsilateral ataxia from involvement of the lateral pons and middle cerebellar peduncle.

Why is "Posterior cerebral artery" not the answer?

The posterior cerebral artery supplies the occipital lobe and thalamus, not the labyrinth.

Why is "Superior cerebellar artery" not the answer?

Superior cerebellar artery occlusion causes ataxia and contralateral loss of pain and temperature without hearing loss.

Why is "Posterior inferior cerebellar artery" not the answer?

PICA occlusion causes lateral medullary syndrome with hoarseness and Horner syndrome, without deafness.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vestibular disorders: AICA infarction in ENT. PICA infarction (lateral medullary syndrome) spares hearing and the face.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Vestibular disorders: AICA infarction?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.