The relative importance of the brain stem acoustic evoked potential (BAEP) in patients with brain stem tumors

: The brain stem acoustic evoked potential is a non-invasive procedure at the disposal of neurological diagnostics that permits to obtain information about the functional condition of the brain stem. As regards the question of the topodiagnostic possibilities of this examination method in patients with brain stem tumours the BAEP parameters were compared with the clinical symptoms existing at the time of the examination as well as with computer tomographic findings. There is a good agreement of the severity of the clinical symptoms and the distinction of the BAEP changes. In case of unilateral BAEP changes or BAEP changes with a pronounced accentuation on one side indications with respect to the lateral localisation of the brain stem tumour in connection with the clinical findings can be derived. An exact topodiagnosis of brain stem tumours is exclusively possible by the correlation of clinical symptoms, results of picture-yielding examination methods and BAEP examination.