4 research outputs found
Morphology of cranial sutures and radiologic evaluation of the variations of intersutural bones
Background: As far as our literature searches showed us, morphological characteristics of cranium such as sutures, sutural bones and fontanelles had been examined in the skulls in the museums and dry specimens until now. As a modern method, three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of cranial bones by using multidetector
computed tomography-computed tomography angiography (MDCT-CTA) can
display in vivo morphological characteristics. In our study, we aimed to determine
the presence and incidence of these morphological characteristics that can be
clinically significant in our population, by using radiologic methods.
Materials and methods: We examined head and neck regions of 185 patients
via MDCT-CTA. We evaluated radiologically detectable variations of the metopic
sutures, lambda, bregma, asterion and pterion, which can be very easily confused
with fractures. Additionally, the differences between the genders and incidence
of coexistence of these variations were evaluated.
Results: According to our study, the incidence of persistent metopic suture was
8.1% and the incidence of lambda variations was 5.9%. Variations were most
commonly encountered on the left asterion, and least commonly on the bregma
and left pterion. In the evaluation of the coexistence of the parameters and
combinations, the Wormian bones located at the right and left asterions were
detected. There were no statistically significant differences between genders.
Conclusions: Variations of the sutures and sutural bones can be easily misdiagnosed with the fractures of related bony regions in unconscious patients with
multiple traumas. During surgical interventions in these patients, surgeons must
take this fact into consideration in order to make differential diagnosis of fractures
and intersutural bone variations