Abstract
The roentgenological investigation of “Meatus acusticus internus” was conducted in 86 cases (172 sides) of vertigo which were treated in the otorhinolaryngological clinic of Kyushu University Hospital.
X-ray photographs were taken respectively through Stenvers' method, Towne's method and Enlarged Stenvers' method.
The following results were obtained through the X-ray film by Stenvers' method, particularly.
1) Average diameter of “Meatus acusticus internus” on X-ray film by Stenvers' method was 4.366±0.120 mm at the left sides (86 cases), and 4.333±0.142 mm at the right sides (86 cases).
2) The types of “Meatus acusticus internus” were classified into 4 types, i. e. a) Oval type Lt. 34 Rt. 40 b) Circular type 4 2 c) Rectiangular type 47 41 d) Erosion or Destruction 1 3
3) The abnormal findings, irrespective of the difference between the diameters of both sides of “Meatus acusticus internus” were discovered in 14 cases. Acoustic Neurinoma 5 Meniere's disease 4 Brain tumor suspected 1 Harada's disease 1 Complete deafness 1
The causes that this method was able to find smaller changes of the temporal bone were considered as follows:
1) Increase of photographic sharpness: it based on a very small tube focus and the removal of dispersed ray by the layer of air between film and object.
2) Incease of definition: it was due to the enlargement of X-ray photograph.
3) Physiological and psychological factors.
The comparison between the X-ray photograph by the Stenvers' method and the one by Enlarged Stenvers' method was showed at Fig. 2, 3, 4, 5.
The Enlarged Stenvers' method was easily performed with no special technique and machinery.
Therefore the authors came to the conclusion that Enlarged Stenvers' method should be adopted together with the Towne's method and Stenvers' method as one way of diagnoses of some disease in “Meatus acusticus internus”.
