title: Optimal electrode diameter in relation to volume of the cochlea.
abstract: The volume of the cochlea is a key parameter for electrode-array design. Indeed, it constrains the diameter of the electrode-array for low-traumatic positioning in the scala timpani. The present report shows a model of scala timpani volume extraction from temporal bones images in order to estimate a maximum diameter of an electrode-array. Nine temporal bones were used, and passed to high-resolution computed tomography scan. Using image-processing techniques, scala timpani were extracted from images, and cross-section areas were estimated along cochlear turns. Cochlear implant electrode-array was fitted in these cross-sections. Results show that the electrode-array diameter is small enough to fit in the scala timpani, however the diameter is restricted at the apical part.
authors.affiliation: Oticon Medical CI, Clinical and Scientific Research, 2720, Chemin St.-Bernard, Vallauris, France. Electronic address: dagn@oticonmedical.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gnansia
authors.affiliation: Asclepios Project Team, Inria Sophia Antipolis-Mediterranee Research Centre, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demarcy
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery University Institute, Nice University Hospital, Nice, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandersteen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nice University Hospital, Nice, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raffaelli
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery University Institute, Nice University Hospital, Nice, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guevara
authors.affiliation: Asclepios Project Team, Inria Sophia Antipolis-Mediterranee Research Centre, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Delingette
authors.affiliation: Asclepios Project Team, Inria Sophia Antipolis-Mediterranee Research Centre, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ayache
mesh_terms: D003051:Cochlea / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Anatomy; Cochlear implant; Computed tomography; Electrode-array; Electrode-array design; Hearing preservation; Image processing; Inner ear; Soft surgery