title: Morphometric analysis of the stylohyoid complex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stylohyoid complex is anatomical structure predisposed to numerous individual variations. These may result in its extreme elongation, medial deviation and finally Eagle's syndrome occurrence. The aim of this study was to measure the length, angulation, evaluate morphological variations of stylohyoid complex by computed tomography and, subsequently, relate obtained data to the gender and the age of the evaluated cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The material included CT scans of stylohyoid complexes of 282 individuals. The entire length, maximal thickness, and angulation of the stylohyoid complexes in the coronal, transverse, and sagittal planes were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to their morphology, orientation and length, stylohyoid complexes were classified into six morphological types. Elongated, bent, segmented, and segmented with attached stylohyoid ligament for the lesser horns of the hyoid bone stylohyoid complex types were characterized by significantly greater length, while pseudoarticulated type was characterized by significantly lower length in relation to normal stylohyoid complex type. The elongated type was additionally significantly thicker and with significantly lower value of medial angle in transverse plain than the normal stylohyoid complex type. Elongated, bent, and segmented types were significantly more frequent in males than in females. Furthermore, the frequency of the elongated stylohyoid complex type increased, whereas normal and pseudoarticulated types decreased with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, elongated and more medially deviated stylohyoid complexes are more frequent in males than in females. Their more frequent presence in the older age groups indirectly connects this phenomenon with the aging process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Blvd. dr Zoran Djindjic 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia. sladjana-petrovic@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sladjana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8851-7121
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petrović
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sladjana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ugrenović
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Blvd. dr Zoran Djindjic 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Radovanović
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pešić
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vučković
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Niš, Blvd. dr Zoran Djindjic 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stojković
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petrović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Anatomical variations; Morphometry; Multi-detectors CT; Stylohyoid complex