title: Effect of semicircular canal dehiscence on contralateral canal bone thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to determine if the existence of dehiscence in the superior or posterior semicircular canal was associated with the thinning of the bone roof in the rest of the vertical canals (superior or posterior).
  
  
  METHODS
  The thickness of the superior and posterior semicircular canals contralateral to a dehiscence was studied using computerized tomography and compared statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When a superior semicircular canal had a dehiscence, the contralateral canal showed a significant mean decrease in its thickness of 0.5mm (SD: 0.3 mm). This was not the case if the dehiscence was in the posterior semicircular canal, where the thickness of 2.1 mm remained unchanged (SD: 1.2 mm; P=.49). When a posterior semicircular canal showed dehiscence, no significant thinning was shown in the superior semicircular (1 mm; SD: 0.4) or in the posterior contralateral (1.3 mm; SD: 0.3) canals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The existence of a dehiscence in the superior semicircular canal is associated with bone thinning in the canal on the opposite side, but not with the posterior semicircular canal. In contrast, if the dehiscence is in the posterior semicircular canal, contralateral and superior canal thickness is not modified.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anatomía e Histología Humanas, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gracia-Tello
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cisneros
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crovetto
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Olívia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Iñigo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lecumberri
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Crovetto
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whyte
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000473:pathology*; D013701:Temporal Bone; D055815:Young Adult