S. Kyrkanides et al., DEVELOPMENT OF THE BASILAR PART OF THE OCCIPITAL BONE IN NORMAL HUMANFETUSES, Journal of craniofacial genetics and developmental biology, 13(3), 1993, pp. 184-192
The present study aims to investigate the normal maturity and growth o
f the basilar part of the occipital bone evaluated radiographically an
d histochemically during the first half of prenatal life. The material
consisted of cranial bases from 49 normal human fetuses and, in addit
ion, three separate occipital bones deviscerated from normal fetuses.
The normal development of the basilar part of the occipital bone was d
ivided into five maturity stages (OB-I to OB-V). Microscopic investiga
tion confirmed the macroscopic findings described. For each stage the
ventro-dorsal dimension of the occipital bone component was measured (
LEN). The stages (OB-I to OB-V) were related to gestational age (AGE),
crown-rump length (CRL), LEN, and to the length of the humeral bone (
HL). Close accordance was registered between OB stages and length valu
es of the basilar part of the occipital bone, LEN, and length of the h
umeral bone, HL. A highly significant positive correlation was found b
etween LEN and the parameters AGE, CRL, and HL values (P < 0.001). Sta
ndards for normal development of the basilar part of the occipital bon
e are considered important for evaluation of die pathological prenatal
development of the cranial base.