Fossa cranii posterior in pediatric population and morphometric analysis of related structures

In literature there are many studies that may related to posterior cranial fossa and skull base malformations and other defects. In Chiari Malformation formation, which is the most widely known and most common one, ıt has been stated that the changes in foramen magnum and posterior cranial fossa dimensions and posterior cranial fossa volume or volumetric increase in soft tissue structures may be responsible. It has been emphasized that posterior cranial fossa volume and dimensions crucial in diagnosis and treatment in pathologies such as Costello Syndrome, Dandy Walker Syndrome, Mega Cisterna Magna and other anomalies affecting the posterior cranial fossa. It has a vital impotance as it is the route for the structures especially for the cerebrospinal fluid. In our literature review, although there are large number of studies on posterior cranial fossa and related structures in adults, we found few studies in the pediatric age group. For this purpose, it is aimed to establish a healthy database for many malformations by evaluating the morphometric development of the posterior cranial fossa, bone tissue and soft tissue structures in the pediatric age group which we think deficient. In our study, in the pedaitric population there were 9 groups from 0 to 18 years divided into according to their ages, 1st group (1-2 years), 2nd group (3-4 years), 3rd group (5-6 years), 4th group (7-8 years), 5th group (9-10 years), 6th group (11-12 years), 7th group (13-14 years), 8th group (15-16 years), and 9th group (17-18 years). On 353 healthy data (179 girls, 174 boys) foramen magnum anteroposterior and transverse diameters, foramen magnum area, the area occupied by the medulla spinalis in the foramen magnum, fossa cranii posterior width and length, clivus length, cerebellum width, lateral diameter length and height, angle between clivus and dens axis, and supraocciput length measurements were performed retrospectively. In most of the results of these measurements, there was no difference between the 1st group and the 2nd group in most of the parameters, and the differences were statistically significant with the other groups starting from the 3rd group (p<0,001). It was determined that the 3rd group, 4th group and 5th group had similar growth curves, and the 8th and 9th groups showed similar growth rates among themselves. These differences in the growth curve are thought to be due to the development of neural structures and the effect of sex hormones in adolescence. We consider that the normative data we have revealed about posterior cranial fossa and its structures will contribute to the diagnosis and treatment process of pathologies that can be seen in the clinic.