The Three-dimensional Reconstruction Of The Tympanic Sulcus And The Intratemporal Facial Nerve

Objective:This article aims to explore the three-dimensional spatial relationship between the tympanic sulcus and the intratemporal facial nerve of patients with temporal bone without abnormalities,through the three-dimensional reconstruction of temporal bone.Then it can help us to locate the facial nerve.Methods:After excluding ears with noted pathology,27 patients,a total of 54 ears all select from the first affiliated hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Department of Radiology,including 16 male and 11 female, mean age(49.48±14.36) years old.Collection of 64 slice spiral CT scanning image data stored in DICOM format.MIMICS software was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional image of the tympanic sulcus and facial nerve respectively, showing the relationship between the two.Take the highest point and the lowest point of the tympanic sulcus,and the three point that divide the posterior tympanic sulcus into four equal parts,a total of 5 points.The vertical distance of these points to the facial nerve was measured with the software’s function,and the distance between the two intersection points of the vertical facial nerve crosses from the medial of the tympanic sulcus to the lateral.Results:Three-dimensional images, including the facial nerve and tympanic sulcus, were reconstructed.The vertical facial nerve coursed lateral to the tympanic sulcus beyond its posteroinferior quadrant.The vertical distance of 5 points from top to bottom to the facial nerve respectively is(5.46±0.59)mm,(4.85±0.51)mm,(3.80±0.43)mm,(4.71±0.54)mm,(8.20±0.50)mm,the distance between the two intersection points of the vertical facial nerve crosses from the medial of the tympanic sulcus to the lateral is(4.35±0.46)mm.Conclusions:Reconstructing the three-dimensional image of facial nerve and the tympanic sulcus through MIMICS software can show the spatial relationship between the two, and can measure the positioning, the position of the facial nerve surgery so as to play a role.It plays a role of the facial nerve location in the operation.