Original scientific paper
A CT-study of the Cranial Suture Morphology and its Reorganization during the Obliteration
Silviya Nikolova
; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, 1113 Sofi a, Bulgaria
Diana Toneva
; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, 1113 Sofi a, Bulgaria
Ivan Georgiev
; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Department of Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Analysis, 1113 Sofi a, Bulgaria 4 Medical
Stanislav Harizanov
; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Department of Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Analysis, 1113 Sofi a, Bulgaria 4 Medical
Dora Zlatareva
; Medical University of Sofi a, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, 1431 Sofi a, Bulgaria
Vassil Hadjidekov
; Medical University of Sofi a, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, 1431 Sofi a, Bulgaria
Nikolai Lazarov
; Medical University of Sofi a, Department of Anatomy and Histology, 1431 Sofi a, Bulgaria
Abstract
Obliteration of the cranial sutures is an age-dependent process. Its premature occurrence (craniosynostosis) causes
different craniofacial deformations, dependent on the affected suture(s). The understanding of the suture morphology and
the remodeling processes during the obliteration is essential for early diagnosis and treatment of the premature closure.
This study aimed to investigate the morphology of open and obliterated sutures and to perform comparison analysis on
the 3D images obtained by both industrial and medical computed tomography (CT) systems with various resolutions. A
segment of the sagittal suture of dry skulls of known age and sex was scanned using Nikon XTH 225, an industrial CT
system, developed by Nikon Metrology. The same section of the sagittal suture was observed on patients undergoing CT
scanning with a multislice system Toshiba Aquilion 64 with 0.5 mm slice thickness. For 3D visualization, VGStudioMax
2.2 were used. The suture morphology was observed in coronal section on sequential 2D slices. Micro-CT (μCT) scanning
of dry skulls enabled calculation of the morphometric parameters and visualization of the microarchitecture of the suture
and its reorganization during the obliteration, unlike the CT imaging of patients, where the sutures were scarcely discernable.
In the entirely open sections of the suture the bone edges were separated by a gap of various widths. As the obliteration
proceeded, the gap gradually reduced and the bone edges got into a contact. In the fi nal stages, the traces from the
contact faded away and the sutural area became a homogenous structure of increased integrity. The μCT scanning of dry
bones is a powerful non-destructive technique for examination of the suture morphology. Remodeling of the suture during
the obliteration leads to gradually diminishing of the gap between the bone edges to their entire coalescence.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
200203
URI
Publication date:
2.7.2017.
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