title: Computed tomography of the human developing anterior skull base.
abstract: The ossification of the anterior skull base, especially the lamina cribrosa, has been studied by computed tomography and histopathology. Sixteen human fetuses, (referred to our laboratory for pathological examination after spontaneous abortion between 18 and 32 weeks of gestation) and three infants, (1, 2 and 6 years of age, respectively) were examined. The cartilaginous preformation of the anterior skull base creates a 'pseudo-defect' on CT in the coronal plane, even with ultra thin sections and high resolution CT. By the age of 6 years of life this 'artefact' is no longer, as the present ossification of the lamina cribrosa is, by that time, complete.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dijkzigt Academic Hospital, University of Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Loosen
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Klooswijk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Velzen
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Verwoerd
mesh_terms: D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D010012:Osteogenesis; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed