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Metopic skull with occipitalisation of the atlas
, 1
Affiliations- Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
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Abstract
In this study we report a combination of anatomic variations in the neurocranium
of an adult male skull. The skull is scanned using an industrial μCT system Nikon
XT H 225. The cranial vault shows a persistent metopic suture, a remnant from
the mendosal suture and supernumerary bones. Cranial base inspection reveals
atlas occipitalisation (AO), basilar kyphosis, unusually shaped dorsum sellae and
bilateral interclinoid bridging. AO is extensive without signs of atlantooccipital
articulation. The anterior and posterior arches of the atlas and the right transverse
process are fussed to the occipital bone above. The complete fusion of the posterior
arch causes a formation of bone canals for the vertebral arteries passage
into the cranium. AO in this case is not related to a reduction of the foramen
magnum dimensions and clivus length.
Abstract
In this study we report a combination of anatomic variations in the neurocranium
of an adult male skull. The skull is scanned using an industrial μCT system Nikon
XT H 225. The cranial vault shows a persistent metopic suture, a remnant from
the mendosal suture and supernumerary bones. Cranial base inspection reveals
atlas occipitalisation (AO), basilar kyphosis, unusually shaped dorsum sellae and
bilateral interclinoid bridging. AO is extensive without signs of atlantooccipital
articulation. The anterior and posterior arches of the atlas and the right transverse
process are fussed to the occipital bone above. The complete fusion of the posterior
arch causes a formation of bone canals for the vertebral arteries passage
into the cranium. AO in this case is not related to a reduction of the foramen
magnum dimensions and clivus length.
Keywords
persistent metopic suture, atlas assimilation, supernumerary calvarial bones, wormian bones, intraclinoid bridging, caroticoclinoid foramen, posterior interclinoid foramen
About this articleTitle
Metopic skull with occipitalisation of the atlas
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
988-996
Published online
2022-08-25
Page views
869
Article views/downloads
499
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2023;82(4):988-996.
Keywords
persistent metopic suture
atlas assimilation
supernumerary calvarial bones
wormian bones
intraclinoid bridging
caroticoclinoid foramen
posterior interclinoid foramen
Authors
S. Y. Nikolova
D. H. Toneva
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