Abstract
Background: Ethnic characteristics of individuals are best described with the skull. Cranial index is one of the most important variables for determining sexual dimorphism and of course racial differences. Parameters used in establishing cephalic index vary considerably depending on the age, sex, geographical habitat, ethnic background of the individuals involved and the methods employed. Such has not been documented in Calabar, especially with the use of advanced imaging modality such as the Computed Tomography (CT) scans. This is the rationale of the study.Objective: To determine the cephalic index of Nigerians residing in Calabar using CT scan.Materials and Methods: A total of 200 cranial Brivo 385 16 slice CT scan images of Nigerians aged from 18 to 87 years were obtained from the Asi-Ukpo Diagnostic Medical Centre Calabar. A simple random probability sampling technique was employed. Variables measured were the Maximum Cranial Length (MCL), Maximum Cranial Width (MCW), Bizygomatic Length (BZL) and the Orbital Length (OBL). The cephalic index was obtained by measuring the ratio of the maximum head width (MCW) or the Biparietal Diameter (BPD) to maximum head length (MCL) or the antero-posterior diameter then multiplied by 100.Results: Cranial length was 182.9 ± 0.657mm in males and 178.53 ± 0.09mm in females. Cranial width was 138.59 ± 0.56mm in males and 137.21 ± 0.65mm in females. The orbital length was 34.35 ± 0.31mm in males and 33.37 ± 0.29mm in females while bizygomatic length was 130 ± 0.31mm in males and 127.54 ± 0.84mm in females. Cranial index was 76.09mm in males and 75.81mm in females. No significant difference between males and females of the study population as the subject appears to be largely mesocephalic (p<0.05).Conclusion: Cranial index of the study sampled population is majorly mesocephalic. Therefore, CT scan is very important a tool in the assessment of cranial parameters in anthropometry.Keywords: Anthropometry, Calabar, Cranial index, Computed Tomography, Mesocephalic
Highlights
Anthropometry is the measurement of the human body; a reliable method for quantifying body size, proportion or shape using body length and width, circumference and skin fold thickness (Williams and Rogers, 2006)
MATERIALS AND METHOD A retrospective and prospective study of 200 subjects (100 male and 100 female) with cranial images from a Brivo 385 16 slice Computed Tomography (CT) scan of Nigerians residing in Calabar, aged from 18 to 87 years obtained from the Asi-Ukpo Diagnostic Medical Centre Calabar
Parameters measured were the Maximum Cranial Width (MCW) or biparietal diameter which is the maximum point of biparietal axis around the skull
Summary
Anthropometry is the measurement of the human body; a reliable method for quantifying body size, proportion or shape using body length and width, circumference and skin fold thickness (Williams and Rogers, 2006). Parameters used in establishing cephalic index vary considerably depending on the age, sex, geographical habitat, ethnic background of the individuals involved and the methods employed. Such has not been documented in Calabar, especially with the use of advanced imaging modality such as the Computed Tomography (CT) scans. The cephalic index was obtained by measuring the ratio of the maximum head width (MCW) or the Biparietal Diameter (BPD) to maximum head length (MCL) or the antero-posterior diameter multiplied by 100. Cranial width was 138.59 ± 0.56mm in males and 137.21 ± 0.65mm in females. Cranial index was 76.09mm in males and 75.81mm in females. CT scan is very important a tool in the assessment of cranial parameters in anthropometry
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