title: Observation of the external aperture of the vestibular aqueduct using three-dimensional surface reconstruction imaging.
abstract: Observation of the external aperture of the vestibular aqueduct was hitherto possible only in cadavers or dry temporal bones; however, by applying three-dimensional surface reconstruction imaging, it is now possible to observe solid-looking images of this structure in living humans. When the width of the external aperture of the vestibular aqueduct was measured in 58 people, it was found to be significantly narrower in the affected ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in normal ears.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kobe City General Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mizukami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isono
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohmura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirono
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014723:Vestibular Aqueduct / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging