Fluorescein angiography is a recently developed method of studying the tympanic membrane's dynamic vasculature. Our preliminary studies using an ophthalmic fundus camera and aural speculum did not always permit visualization of the entire tympanic membrane, and the electronic flash unit used in our initial studies did not cycle fast enough to visualize effectively the rapid arterial phase of blood flow. In this report, we describe an endoscopic method of tympanic membrane fluorescein angiography that uses a continuous xenon light source. A representative angiogram from a normal subject is described. The mallear artery apparently is the major blood supply to the posterior half of the tympanic membrane, which is consistently better perfused than the anterior half. Branches from the annular ring of blood vessels supply the anterior half of the tympanic membrane. Preliminary studies of two temporalis fascia tympanoplasty patients indicate that the graft becomes revascularized 2 to 4 weeks after surgery and that posterior grafts may revascularize earlier than anterior grafts.

Otosclerosis (otospongiosis) occurs when the hard endochondral bone of the otic capsule is replaced by spongy vascular foci of haversian bone. Using computed tomography (CT), we studied the ears of 32 selected patients with mixed or sensorineural hearing loss (one patient had normal hearing); 24 were suspected of having otosclerosis. CT proved valuable in detecting cochlear otosclerosis, foci of demineralization, and changes in bony texture and enables the easy recognition of subtle radiographic findings. Our paper also reports the CT findings of temporal bones in osteogenesis imperfecta and Paget disease.

Three normal children with reported musical ability and three autistic children were tested for the ability to imitate individual tones and series of tones delivered by voice, piano, and synthesizer. Accuracy of imitation was judged by two independent observers on the basis of pitch, rhythm, and duration. The autistic children overall performed as well as or better than the age-matched normal children. These results are discussed and their implications for future neurological and clinical research are considered.

The human temporal bone is a 3-dimensionally complex anatomic region with many unique qualities that make anatomic teaching and learning difficult. Current teaching tools have proved only partially adequate for the needs of the aspiring otologic surgeon in learning this anatomy. We used a variety of computerized image processing and reconstruction techniques to reconstruct an anatomically accurate 3-dimensional computer model of the human temporal bone from serial histologic sections. The model is viewed with a specialized visualization system that allows it to be manipulated easily in a stereoscopic virtual environment. The model may then be interactively studied from any viewpoint, greatly simplifying the task of conceptualizing and learning this anatomy. The system also provides for simultaneous computer networking that can bring distant participants into a single shared virtual teaching environment. Future directions of the project are discussed.