Digital-image analysis of the femoral shaft/neck angle in human foetuses.
Measurements were made of the femoral shaft/neck angle (CCD angle) in 106 human foetuses, aged from 16 to 38 hbd, using a "FEM-GEO_03" computer program. The values of the CCD angle in the group under examination were: mean = 140.48 degrees, SD = 6.95 degrees, max = 157.90 degrees, min = 113.93 degrees. No significant differences were found in CCD angle size between male and female foetuses or between left and right bones. Dispersion analysis showed a decrease in the CCD angle during foetal development, which suggests that adaptation to a vertical position and bipedal gait starts during pregnancy and is manifest as an inborn feature.
Bulandra
Andrzej M
AM
Department of Human Anatomy, Silesian Medical University, Katowice, Poland. abulandra@slam.katowice.pl
Gielecki
Jerzy S
JS
Leciejewska
Iwona
I
Karaszewski
Piotr
P
Sieroń
Dominik
D
D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000196:embryology*; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000196:embryology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D038081:Organogenesis; D017678:Sex Distribution