Unpacking the terminology used in human cochlear dimension methodologies

Abstract

Many definitions of the dimensions of cochlear measurements are described in the literature. However, these terminologies are typically not standardised or vary among disciplines. Confusion of the defined parameters may lead to ambiguity in the derived dimensions. Inconsistent terminology may, therefore, contribute to the variations reported in cochlear morphology. This article proposes using a standard set of terminology, including its associated landmarks and measurements, to describe the shape and dimensions of the human cochlea. To provide a basis for comparison for the dimensional description of ambiguous terms in the literature and to supplement existing data where terms are unique, micro-CT (μCT) scans of thirty temporal bones were subjected to landmarking and measuring according to the terminology standard. The results confirm that methodological techniques and definitions of cochlear measurements may affect the quantification of dimensions that describe cochlear morphology and may, therefore, introduce variations when reporting these measurements. Histology and μCT images, for example, could provide a more accurate and comprehensive measure of cochlear dimensions than measurements on casts.