High-resolution computerized tomography for ossicular replacement prostheses

To study the accuracy of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for assessing the ossicular structures in cadaveric temporal bone by the distance between temporal bone elements is of great interest.

To record the distances between the malleal neck and both the stapedial head and footplate by HRCT. Further, after partially opening the temporal bone toward the ossicular structure, to record the actual distances between those structures during surgical dissection.

This study compared actual and HRCT measurements of cadaveric temporal bone. We studied, measured, and recorded distances within and between various structural elements. All data are reported as means and were analyzed to prove the accuracy of HRCT to assess ossicular structure from the temporal bone.

This study included the temporal bones of 10 male and 10 female cadavers (mean age, 70.4 years). By surgical dissection, the distances between the malleal neck and the stapedial head and footplate were 3.40 and 5.30 mm, respectively (measured from the bone); by HRCT, the corresponding values were 3.35 and 5.29 mm. The intraclass correlation coefficients for assessing ossicular structure in contrast to the actual measurements were 0.901 (malleal neck to stapedial head) and 0.923 (malleal neck to stapedial footplate) (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the actual malleal neck to stapedial head (p = 0.793) or footplate (p = 0.242) measurements.

HRCT produced statistically comparable, reliable, and accurate measurements compared with actual measurements in cadaveric temporal bone.