RECONSTRUCTIONS AND CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA MEASUREMENTS FROM MAGNETIC-RESONANCE MICROSCOPIC IMAGES OF THE COCHLEA

In this study, magnetic resonance (MR) microscopy was used to obtain s erial sections through the cochleae of mustached bats. As previously r eported, 25-mu m isotropic voxels can be obtained. Specific areas in e ach slice were segmented and then three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructi ons of the perilymphatic and endolymphatic spaces and spiral ligament were obtained. Quantitative measurements the cross-sectional areas wer e made with customized macros written for the public-domain software, NIH Image. Results of this study revealed enlargements of the scalae a nd spiral ligament in areas known to be involved with processing of th e animal's biosonar and fine-frequency analysis.