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American Journal of Neuroradiology 28:1133-1138, June-July 2007
DOI 10.3174/ajnr.A0495
© 2007 American Society of Neuroradiology

HEAD & NECK

When Is the Vestibular Aqueduct Enlarged? A Statistical Analysis of the Normative Distribution of Vestibular Aqueduct Size

S. Vijayasekaranb, M.J. Halsteda, M. Bostonb, J. Meinzen-Derrb,c, D.M.E. Bardod, J. Greinwaldb and C. Bentona

a Departments of Radiology and Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
b Otolaryngology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
c Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
d Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill

Address correspondence to Corning Benton, MD, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039; e-mail: corning.benton{at}cchmc.org

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The size of vestibular aqueducts (VAs) seen on CT studies varies. The current practice of calling a VA enlarged when it exceeds a certain threshold (eg, 1.5 mm at the midpoint) is arbitrary. Our hypothesis was that statistical analysis of the range of VA widths in a normal-hearing population would lead to a mathematic definition of the upper-limit-of-normal VA width.

Materials and METHODS: The VA midpoint and opercular widths were measured in 73 children with normal hearing. Statistical analysis yielded values of the 99th, 97.5th, 95th, 90th, 75th, and 50th percentiles for this normal distribution.

RESULTS: The upper-limit-of-normal (95th percentile) values for the VA midpoint and opercular widths were 0.9 and 1.9 mm, respectively. The VAs with greater widths may reasonably be considered enlarged.

CONCLUSION: The VAs with midpoint or opercular widths of 1.0 and 2.0 mm or greater, respectively, are enlarged.






Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Neuroradiology. Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X