title: Morphometric analysis of the infraorbital foramen, canal and groove using cone beam CT: considerations for creating artificial organs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the anatomy and variations of the infraorbital foramen and its surroundings via morphometric measurements using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans derived from a 3D volumetric rendering program.
  
  
  METHODS
  354 sides of CBCT scans from 177 patients were examined in this study. DICOM data from these images were exported to Maxilim® software in order to generate 3D surface models. The morphometric measurements were done for infraorbital foramen (IOF), infraorbital groove (IOG) and infraorbital canal (IOC). All images were evaluated by 1 radiologist. To assess intra-observer reliability, the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test was used. Differences between sex, side, age and measurements were evaluated using chi-square and paired t-test and measurements were evaluated using 1-way ANOVA tests. Differences were considered significant when p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common shape was oval for IOF and parallel for IOC without any accessory foramen. The results showed that females have smaller dimensions for the measurements between the two foramen rotundum (FR), FR-IOF, sella-FR, center of the IOF (cIOF)-nasion (N), cIOF-NB (nasion-B) (p>0.05). No significant difference was found according to age groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide detailed knowledge of the anatomical characteristics in this particular area. CBCT imaging with lower radiation dose and thin slices can be a powerful tool for anesthesia procedures like infra orbital nerve blocks, for surgical approaches like osteotomies and neurectomies and also for generating artificial prostheses.
authors: Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Ankara - Turkey.
authors: Kaan
authors: K
authors: Orhan
authors: Near East University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Mersin - Turkey.
authors: Melis
authors: M
authors: Misirli
authors: Near East University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Mersin - Turkey.
authors: Secil
authors: S
authors: Aksoy
authors: Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Ankara - Turkey.
authors: Umut
authors: U
authors: Seki
authors: Near East University, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Department of Mathematics, Mersin - Turkey.
authors: Evren
authors: E
authors: Hincal
authors: Medipol University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Istanbul - Turkey.
authors: Tugrul
authors: T
authors: Ormeci
authors: Yeditepe University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Istanbul - Turkey.
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Arslan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001187:Artificial Organs; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult