Measurement of surface area in human mastoid air cell system.

The total surface areas of human mastoid air cells were measured using digital CT scans. Using 24 normal ears, the lining of the mastoid air cells was digitally scanned, traced and analysed. The mean surface area of the mastoid air cell system was 167.0 cm2 and ranged from 74.78 to 330.01 cm2. The volume was also measured, the mean being 10.43 cm3 ranging from 6.25 to 20.52 cm3. The correlation coefficient between surface area and volume was 0.95. These results indicate that well pneumatized mastoid air cells serve to provide an extremely large surface area in the temporal bone which in normal mastoid air cells is proportional to the volume.