title: Micro-CT study of the dehiscences of the tympanic segment of the facial canal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To depict the anatomy of the tympanic segment of the facial canal using a 3D visualization technique, to detect dehiscences, and to evaluate their frequency, location, shape, and size.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research included 36 human temporal bones (18 infant and 18 adult samples) which were scanned using a Nanotom 180N device. The final resolution of the reconstructed object was 18 µm. Obtained micro-CT data were subsequently processed by the volume rendering software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The micro-CT study allowed for the 3D visualization of the tympanic segment of the facial canal and detects dehiscences in the studied material in both infants and adults. Most of the dehiscences (66.7 %) involved the inferior wall of the tympanic segment in infants as well as in adults, and were located above and backward to the oval window. The most frequent dehiscence shape was elliptic (66.7 % in infants; 50 % in adults). Furthermore, we observed dehiscences of fusiform and trapezoidal shape in infants. Length of the dehiscences in most cases ranged from 0.5 to 1.4 mm (50 % in infants; 75 % in adults).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Volumetric reconstructions demonstrated the course of the tympanic segment of the facial canal and its relationship with the tympanic cavity. Knowledge about the size and location of any dehiscence within the tympanic segment of the facial canal is necessary due to the surgical significance of this region. If a dehiscence occurs, there is an increased risk of injury to the facial nerve during the operations or spread of inflammation from the middle ear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozerska
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Kraków, Poland. jskrzat@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skrzat
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Alexandru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spulber
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walocha
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-065, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wroński
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-065, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarasiuk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D063405:Anatomic Variation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Computed microtomography; Facial canal; Temporal bone