Ping Han MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Hui Ma, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Bo Liang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Zi-Qiao Lei, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Xiang-Quan Kong, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gan-Sheng Feng, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the ability of the volume rendering technique to display the normal and abnormal inner ear structures.

40 normal ear (20 volunteers) and 45 abnormal inner ears (24 congenital inner ear malformations,7 labyrinthitis ossificans, and 14 inner ear erosion caused by cholesteatomas) were examined with a MSCT scanner (SOMATOM Sensation 16, Siemens). Axial imaging were performed using the following parameters:120kv,100mAs,0.75mm slice thickness,a pitch factor of 1.The axial images of interested ears were reconstructed with 0.1mm reconstruction increment and a FOV of 50mm.The 3D reconstructions were done with volume rendering technique on the workstation (3D Virtuoso, Siemens).

In the subjects without ear disorders a high quality 3D visualization of the inner ear could be achieved.In the patients with ear disorders all inner ear malformations could be clearly displayed on 3D images. For the eight ears with the lateral semicircular canal malformations volume rendering images were superior to the axial images in displaying the malformations.And in describing the other 16 inner ear malformations including Michel(1 ear),Mondini (3 ears),and large vestibular aqueduct syndrome(12 ears) volume rendering was comparable with the axial images.In 7 patients with labyrinthitis ossificans 3D images failed to clearly show the abnormalities in 4 ears(57.1%) because of too high ossifications in the membranous labyrinth, though it could provide useful diagnostic information.In the other 3 ears (42.9%) volume rendering can display the thin cochlea basal turn and the intermittent semicircular canals.In the patients with cholesteatomas 3D volume rendering images could identify the site of the bony labyrinth erosion and its surrounding structures.

Volume rendering technique can provide higher quality three-dimensional images of the bony labyrinth and serves as a useful tool for analysis of anomalies of the inner ear.

Han, P, Ma, H, Liang, B, Lei, Z, Kong, X, Feng, G, Visualization of the Inner Ear with Volume Rendering Technique.  Radiological Society of North America 2004 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2004 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2004/4409097.html