A morphometric technique for analysis of cochlear vessels.

A computer based system was developed for morphometric analysis of the cochlear lateral wall vasculature. Variables measured were vascular density, RBC density, vessel width, aggregation density, lumen compression count, WBC count and pigment density. Vessels were divided into three systems based on the lateral wall structures that they supplied. The results indicated that these three vessel systems were morphologically distinct in terms of their vascular density, RBC density, and vessel width. How these differences relate to functional needs of the lateral wall is discussed.