Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2016 Jun;9(2):109-115. 10.21053/ceo.2014.02012.

The Age-Related Orientational Changes of Human Semicircular Canals

• Lyu HY
• Chen KG
• Yin DM
• Hong J
• Yang L
• Zhang TY
• Dai PD

• KMID: 2165052
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2014.02012

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Some changes are found in the labyrinth anatomy during postnatal development. Although the spatial orientation of semicircular canals was thought to be stable after birth, we investigated the age-related orientational changes of human semicircular canals during development.
METHODS
We retrospectively studied the computed tomography (CT) images of both ears of 76 subjects ranged from 1 to 70 years old. They were divided into 4 groups: group A (1-6 years), group B (7-12 years), group C (13-18 years), and group D (>18 years). The anatomical landmarks of the inner ear structures were determined from CT images. Their coordinates were imported into MATLAB software for calculating the semicircular canals orientation, angles between semicircular canal planes and the jugular bulb (JB) position. Differences between age groups were analyzed using multivariate statistics. Relationships between variables were analyzed using Pearson analysis.
RESULTS
The angle between the anterior semicircular canal plane and the coronal plane, and the angle between the horizontal semicircular canal plane and the coronal plane were smaller in group D than those in group A (P<0.05). The JB position, especially the anteroposterior position of right JB, correlated to the semicircular canals orientation (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences in the angles between ipsilateral canal planes among different age groups were found.
CONCLUSION
The semicircular canals had tendencies to tilt anteriorly simultaneously as a whole with age. The JB position correlated to the spatial arrangement of semicircular canals, especially the right JB. Our calculation method helps detect developmental and pathological changes in vestibular anatomy.

Keyword

Semicircular Canals; Orientation; Anatomy; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Jugular Bulb

MeSH Terms

Ear
Ear, Inner
Humans*
Methods
Parturition
Retrospective Studies
Semicircular Canals*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Standard 3-dimensional coordinate system relative to cranial base we developed. The semicircular canals (arrow) deeply located in the petrous bones. Pfrkt, Frankfurt horizontal plane; Psag, median sagittal plane; Pcor, coronal plane.

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  Fig. 2. Right inner ear and ossicular chain. The semicircular canal planes were represented by the planes passing through each canal. ASCC, anterior semicircular canal; PSCC, posterior semicircular canal; HSCC, horizontal semicircular canal.

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  Fig. 3. The angles between contralateral synergistic canals. Panel A is apical view. Panel B is posterior view. The anterior, posterior, and horizontal semicircular canals are red, green and blue colored, respectively. ∠ indicate the angle between 2 planes; A, P, and H, indicate the anterior, posterior, and horizontal semicircular canal plane, respectively.

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