title: Cranial base kyphosis and the surface morphology of the anterior cranial fossa.
abstract: We investigated the relationship between the surface morphology of the anterior cranial fossa and cranial base kyphosis (sphenoid angle) in 52 cephalometric craniograms. Among them there were 25 female (mean age 54 +/- 15; range 31-82) and 27 male (mean age 43 +/- 18, range 19-85) skulls. The sphenoid angle and the altitudes of the highest elevation of the endofrontal eminence (cranial base over the orbital roof in the anterior cranial fossa) and the middle point of the sphenoid planum, measured according to the Frankfort horizontal, were analysed using classical cephalometric and morphometric analysis. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson's product-moment correlation and simple linear regression. The sphenoid angle ranged from 97 degrees to 137 degrees (mean 118 +/- 9 degrees). The altitude ratio of the highest elevation of the endofrontal eminence and the middle point of the sphenoid planum ranged from 1.5 to 1.8 (mean 1.6 +/- 0.1). A significant correlation was found between this ratio and the sphenoid angle (r = -0.65; p < 0.001; coefficient of determination = 0.43). The elevation of the endofrontal eminence relative to the sphenoid planum was higher in skulls with increased cranial base kyphosis, whereas reduced sphenoid angle was associated with an increase in the elevations of the endofrontal eminence. Although the sphenoid angle has a significant effect on the morphology of the anterior cranial fossa, only 43% of the variance in altitude of the endofrontal eminence is likely to be explained by its relationship with the sphenoid angle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paladino
authors.forename: Vicko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gluncić
authors.forename: Ranka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stern-Padovan
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vinter
authors.forename: Ivan Kresimir
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Lukić
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marusić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000473:pathology*