title: Morphometric study of the neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis in the human fetus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The knowledge of the developing cervical spine and its individual vertebrae, including their neural processes may be useful in the diagnostics of congenital vertebral malformations. This study was performed to quantitatively examine the neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis with respect to their linear, planar and volumetric parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the methods of CT, digital-image analysis and statistics, the size of neural ossification centers in the atlas and axis in 55 spontaneously aborted human fetuses aged 17-30 weeks was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Without any male-female and right-left significant differences, the best fit growth dynamics for the neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis were, respectively, modelled by the following functions: for length: y = -13.461 + 6.140 × ln(age) ± 0.570 and y = -15.683 + 6.882 × ln(age) ± 0.503, for width: y = -4.006 + 1.930 × ln(age) ± 0.178 and y = -3.054 + 1.648 × ln(age) ± 0.178, for cross-sectional area: y = -7.362 + 0.780 × age ± 1.700 and y = -9.930 + 0.869 × age ± 1.911, and for volume: y = -6.417 + 0.836 × age ± 1.924 and y = -11.592 + 1.087 × age ± 2.509.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The size of neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis shows neither sexual nor bilateral differences. The neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis grow logarithmically in both length and width and linearly in both cross-sectional area and volume. The numerical data relating to the size of neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis derived from the CT and digital-image analysis are considered specific-age reference values of potential relevance in both the ultrasound monitoring and the early detection of spinal abnormalities relating to the neural processes of the first two cervical vertebrae in the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumgart
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiśniewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grzonkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Positron Emission Tomography and Molecular Imaging, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Małkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Badura
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Łukasiewicza 1 Street, 85-821, Bydgoszcz, Poland. kizanat@cm.umk.pl.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szpinda
mesh_terms: D037881:Aborted Fetus; D000367:Age Factors; D001368:Axis, Cervical Vertebra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Atlas; Axis; Growth dynamics; Human fetus; Neural; Ossification center; Regression analysis; Size