CT-assisted measurement of total and regional volumes of pneumatization in the temporal bone

Abstract

The total volume of air cells in the temporal bone and the regional volumes (tympanic cavity, petrous apex and mastoid antrum) were measured by using a system which we developed for the measurement of air cells by computerized digital processing of high-resolution CT images. We examined a total of 41 normal ears in 25 subjects ranging in age from 12 to 82 years (mean age 46.2). The total volume of pneumatization was approximately 4.05 +/- 1.59 ml and the volume of air cells in the tympanic cavity was 0.45 +/- 0.07 ml. Alveolation of the petrous apex was detected in 15 (36.6%) of the 41 ears, and the volume of air cells in the petrous apex was approximately 0.24 +/- 0.26 ml. The volume of air cells in the mastoid antrum was approximately 0.53 +/- 0.20 ml. The ears were divided into two groups, one with petrous alveolation (15 ears) and the other without it (26 ears). The ratios of regional pneumatization to total pneumatization were studied in the two groups. Statistically significant differences were found in the total volume and the volume of air cells in the mastoid antrum between the groups with and without petrous pneumatization (p < 0.05). The total volume of air cells did not correlate to the volumes of air cells in the tympanic cavity, mastoid cavity and petrous apex.