Three-Dimensional Modelling of the Middle-Ear Ossicular Chain Using a Commercial High-Resolution X-Ray CT Scanner

The quantitative measurement of the three-dimensional (3-D) anatomy of the ear is of great importance in the making of teaching models and the design of mathematical models of parts of the ear, and also for the interpretation and presentation of experimental results. This article describes how we used virtual sections from a commercial high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner to make realistic 3-D anatomical models for various applications in our middle-ear research. The important problem of registration of the 3-D model within the experimental reference frame is discussed. The commercial X-ray CT apparatus is also compared with X-ray CT using synchrotron radiation, with magnetic resonance microscopy, with fluorescence optical sectioning, and with physical (histological) serial sections.

[1]  Gabor T. Herman,et al.  Image Reconstruction From Projections , 1975, Real Time Imaging.

[2]  M. Glas,et al.  Principles of Computerized Tomographic Imaging , 2000 .

[3]  A Millman,et al.  Virtual temporal bone: Creation and application of a new computer-based teaching tool , 2000, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

[4]  A W Goode.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging – Principles and Applications. , 1987 .

[5]  Akshay K. Singh,et al.  Deformable models in medical image analysis , 1996, Proceedings of the Workshop on Mathematical Methods in Biomedical Image Analysis.

[6]  G. Johnson,et al.  Imaging the cochlea by magnetic resonance microscopy , 1994, Hearing Research.

[7]  Jerry L. Prince,et al.  Gradient vector flow: a new external force for snakes , 1997, Proceedings of IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition.

[8]  Demetri Terzopoulos,et al.  Snakes: Active contour models , 2004, International Journal of Computer Vision.

[9]  W. Robert J. Funnell,et al.  A VRML-based anatomical visualization tool for medical education , 1998, IEEE Transactions on Information Technology in Biomedicine.

[10]  Gabor T. Herman,et al.  Image reconstruction from projections : the fundamentals of computerized tomography , 1980 .

[11]  Uwe Vogel,et al.  3D-IMAGING OF INTERNAL TEMPORAL BONE STRUCTURES FOR GEOMETRIC MODELING OF THE HUMAN HEARING ORGAN , 2000 .

[12]  Anton E. Bowden,et al.  Incorporation of medical image data in finite element models to track strain in soft tissues , 1998, Photonics West - Biomedical Optics.

[13]  M Hara,et al.  Walking through a human ear. , 1989, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[14]  Scott T. Grafton,et al.  Automated image registration: I. General methods and intrasubject, intramodality validation. , 1998, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[15]  A Millman,et al.  The virtual temporal bone. , 1998, Studies in health technology and informatics.

[16]  William E. Lorensen,et al.  Marching cubes: A high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm , 1987, SIGGRAPH.

[17]  J. Mazziotta,et al.  Automated image registration , 1993 .

[18]  Yu-Chung N. Cheng,et al.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Physical Principles and Sequence Design , 1999 .

[19]  D. Van dyck,et al.  3D in‐vivo X‐ray microtomography of living snails , 2002, Journal of microscopy.

[20]  Michael I. Miller,et al.  Mapping of hyperelastic deformable templates using the finite element method , 1995, Optics & Photonics.

[21]  Paul J. Besl,et al.  A Method for Registration of 3-D Shapes , 1992, IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell..

[22]  J. Verheul,et al.  FUNCTION AND MECHANICS OF NORMAL, DISEASED AND RECONSTRUCTED MIDDLE EARS , 2000 .

[23]  唐泽圣,et al.  Virtual temporal bone , 2002 .

[24]  F A Spelman,et al.  Three-dimensional reconstruction of the cochlea from two-dimensional images of optical sections. , 1995, Computerized medical imaging and graphics : the official journal of the Computerized Medical Imaging Society.

[25]  R. Robb.  Three dimensional biomedical imaging , 1994 .

[26]  Luc Vincent,et al.  Watersheds in Digital Spaces: An Efficient Algorithm Based on Immersion Simulations , 1991, IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell..

[27]  Shyam M. Khanna,et al.  The integration of detailed 3D anatomical data for the quantitative description of 3D vibration of a biological structure: an illustration from the middle ear , 2002, International Conference on Vibration Measurements by Laser Techniques: Advances and Applications.

[28]  Michael I. Miller,et al.  Deformable templates using large deformation kinematics , 1996, IEEE Trans. Image Process..

[29]  Demetri Terzopoulos,et al.  Deformable models in medical image analysis: a survey , 1996, Medical Image Anal..

[30]  William E. Lorensen,et al.  The Transfer Function Bake-Off , 2001, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[31]  Thomas Schmitt,et al.  3D visualization of middle ear structures , 1998, Medical Imaging.

[32]  Anton E. Bowden,et al.  Anatomical registration and segmentation by warping template finite element models , 1998, Photonics West - Biomedical Optics.

[33]  E. P. Tomasini.  Vibration measurements by laser techniques: advances and applications , 1994 .

[34]  Frederick E. Petry,et al.  Principles and Applications , 1997 .

[35]  Shyam M. Khanna,et al.  Three-dimensional vibration of the ossicular chain in the cat , 2000, International Conference on Vibration Measurements by Laser Techniques: Advances and Applications.

[36]  D. Kean,et al.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Principles and Applications , 1986 .

[37]  W. Funnell.  On the choice of a cost function for the reconstruction of surfaces by triangulation between contours , 1984 .

[38]  Sasov,et al.  Desktop X‐ray microscopy and microtomography , 1998, Journal of microscopy.

[39]  J Sijbers,et al.  Watershed-based segmentation of 3D MR data for volume quantization. , 1997, Magnetic resonance imaging.

[40]  S. Khanna,et al.  New insights in the functioning of the middle ear , 1999 .

[41]  W R Funnell,et al.  On the degree of rigidity of the manubrium in a finite-element model of the cat eardrum. , 1992, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[42]  D H Burns,et al.  Orthogonal‐plane fluorescence optical sectioning: Three‐dimensional imaging of macroscopic biological specimens , 1993, Journal of microscopy.