Abstract:

         Objective  To explore morphological and imaging features of the inner segment facial nerve in temporal bone on the sagittal plane, and provide sectional anatomic data for clinical image diagnosis and treatment of temporal diseases.  Methods   Temporal tissue of fifteen cadavers were sliced to sagittal sections with the thickness of 1.00 mm, using the celloidin embedding technique, and then analyzed and compared with the images of high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT).  Results   The sagittal images could preferably delineate anatomical details of the inner segment of facial nerve in the temporal bone and its adjacent structures, and display better the genu, the horizontal and vertical segments of the facial nerve and the vestibular aqueduct. The total length of the vertical segment of facial nerve was （14.95±1.31）mm. The included angle of the geniculate ganglion was about （108.01°±10.23°）. A good overall correlation exited between the sagittal slices and HRCT images，as an addition to the discrepancy of the traverse and coronal scan.  Conclusions  The sagittal HRCT scan of the temporal bone is an important imaging method. The celloidin embedding slices, used in conjunction with the HRCT, and provides precise information to image diagnosis and operation of the temporal bone.

Key words: Temporal bone, Facial nerve, Sectional anatomy, CT, Celloidin