Aims: To measure and compare length, width and luminal diameters of semi-circular canals (SCC) on Multiplanar reformatted CT images in individuals without any features of vestibular dysfunction.
Materials and methods: A prospective, cross sectional, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in October - November 2021. Multiplanar reformatted CT temporal bone images of 50 participants without features of vestibular dysfunction were used to measure the curved lengths, widths and luminal diameters of the three semi-circular canals. Unpaired t-test was used to ascertain and compare the values obtained.
Results: Fifty participants, 27 women and 23 men (mean age 38.5 years) were included in the study. Mean curved lengths of Superior, posterior and Lateral SCCs were 1.37 cm, 1.33 cm and 1.19 cm respectively. Semi-circular width of Superior SCC (4.8 mm) was significantly larger than Posterior SCC (4.17 mm, p = 0.03) which was significantly larger than Lateral SCC (3.65 mm, p = 0.04). No significant difference was found between mean mid luminal diameters of the three SCCs. Mid luminal diameters were significantly smaller than the diameters at either ends of all SCCs.
Conclusion: The results can potentially serve as reference values for Indians and for further studies on pathophysiology of disequilibrium.
Keywords: CT Temporal bone; Disequilibrium; Semi-circular Canal Morphometry; Vestibular disorders.
© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.