Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the frequency of squamous suture (SqS) obliteration, to estimate the involvement of the major calvarial sutures and those surrounding the temporal squama, and to inspect the neuro- and basicranium for deformities. A series of 211 dry skulls of contemporary adult males were macroscopically observed. The skulls with closed SqS were scanned using an industrial µCT system. Digital morphometry of the skulls with obliterated SqS was performed by recording the 3D coordinates of anatomic landmarks and calculation of linear distances, angles and indices. Obliteration of SqS was observed in 3 (1.42%) skulls. One skull showed bilateral SqS obliteration. The other two cases were unilateral, one right-sided and one left-sided. SqS obliteration seems to be co-ordinated with the closure of the parietomastoid suture, partially related to the closure of the occipitomastoid, sphenoparietal and sphenofrontal sutures, and independent from the closure of the sphenosquamosal suture and the major calvarial sutures. No severe disproportions in the skull configuration were observed in the three investigated cases. The major differences in the complimentary hemicrania concern the parietal and occipital parts of the skull vault. Dorsum sellae erosion, an indicator for raised intracranial pressure, was observed in all three cases.
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28 August 2020
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by Bulgarian National Science Fund (grants DN01/15-20.12.2016 and DN11/9-15.12.2017). The authors thank Dr. Ivan Georgiev for the image generation and Elena Petrova for the editorial help.
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Nikolova, S., Toneva, D. & Lazarov, N. Squamous suture obliteration: frequency and investigation of the associated skull morphology. Anat Sci Int 96, 42–54 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00555-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00555-x