Three-dimensional imaging of the external aperture of the vestibular aqueduct.

observation of the external aperture of the vestibular aqueduct has hitherto been possible only in cadavers or dry temporal bones, but by applying three-dimensional surface reconstruction imaging, we succeeded for the first ime in obtaining solid-looking images ofthis structure in living subjects. When the width ofthe external aperture ofthe vestibular aqueduct was measured in 58 subjects(10 normal ears, 23 ears with chronic otitis media and 25 ears with Meniere's disease), it was found to be significantly narrower in the affected ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in normal and chronic otitis me aears.