Abstract
PURPOSE
To evaluate the development of the sphenooccipital sychondrosis as seen on high-resolution thin-section CT scans.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the records of 253 patients, ages 1 to 77 years old, who had had thin-section CT examination of the skull base.
RESULTS
An ossification center appeared midline in the patients who were 8 to 13 years old. Six of 12 girls showed additional symmetric ossification centers on either side of the midline; however, this pattern was not seen in boys. No sphenooccipital synchondrosis persisted in any patient past the age of 13 years.
CONCLUSION
High-resolution CT scans of the skull base can show a pattern of progressive ossification of the sphenooccipital synchondrosis, which can be readily recognized and predicted.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (378.2 KB).