title: The developing temporal bone: computed tomography measurements and assessment of suture closure from birth to 18 years of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the normal CT appearance of the developing temporal bone in children from birth to 18 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and six temporal bone CTs of children from 0.14 to 18.95 years were retrospectively selected and reviewed. Temporal bones were measured in a standardized slice orientation using the length of the basal turn of the cochlea, the length and width of the petrous bone, the coronal extent, trailing edge and anterior-posterior dimension of the temporal bone and the angle between petrous bone's length and the midsagittal line in the axial plane showing the basal turn of the cochlea in its greatest extent. Two sutures, two synchondroses and three fissures of the temporal bone were evaluated and graded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chosen measurements and calculations demonstrate an increase of values from 0 to 18 years with the greatest increase occurring during the first 2 years of life. The angle between the basal turn of the cochlea and the midsagittal line shows a large variability. Logarithmic trend lines illustrate larger measurements of males as compared to females. The ratio of the basal turn of the cochlea and the length of the petrous bone is about 1:4.1 (f/m) during the first year of life and about 1:6.1 (f)/1:6.8 (m) from 17 years onwards. Results of suture closure are described using box-and-whisker plots.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developing temporal bone grows the most during the first 2 years of life. Knowledge of changing proportions and suture closure is essential for evaluation of temporal bone CT of children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany. patricia.paetz@gmx.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lanfermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Giesemann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Computed tomography; Development; Measurements; Suture closure; Temporal bone