Abstract
The pelvic skeleton is formed via endochondral ossification. However, it is not known how the normal cartilage is formed before ossification occurs. Furthermore, the overall timeline of cartilage formation and the morphology of the cartilage in the pelvis are unclear. In this study, cartilage formation in the pelvic skeletons of 25 human fetuses (crown-rump length [CRL] = 11.9–75.0 mm) was observed using phase-contrast computed tomography and 7T magnetic resonance imaging. The chondrification center of the ilium, ischium, and pubis first appeared simultaneously at Carnegie stage (CS) 18, was located around the acetabulum, and grew radially in the later stage. The iliac crest formed at CS20 while the iliac body’s central part remained chondrified. The iliac body formed a discoid at CS22. The growth rate was greater in the ilium than in the sacrum-coccyx, pubis, and ischium. Connection and articulation formed in a limited period, while the sacroiliac joint formed at CS21. The articulation of the pubic symphysis, connection of the articular column in the sacrum, and Y-shape connection of the three parts of the hip bones to the acetabulum were observed at CS23; the connection of the ischium and pubic ramus was observed at the early-fetal stage. Furthermore, the degree of connection at the center of the sacrum varied among samples. Most of the pelvimetry data showed a high correlation with CRL. The transverse and antero-posterior lengths of the pelvic inlet of the lesser pelvis varied among samples (R2 = 0.11). The subpubic angle also varied (65–90°) and was not correlated with CRL (R2 = 0.22). Moreover, cartilaginous structure formation appeared to influence bone structure. This study provides valuable information regarding the morphogenesis of the pelvic structure.
Highlights
Pelvic skeleton formation is an interesting topic in various fields, including anatomy, gynecology, sports medicine, manipulative therapy, occupational ergonomics, biomechanics, anthropometrics, and forensic science [1]
Cartilage formation in each part of the pelvic skeleton was analyzed using the reconstructed images obtained from 3D phase-contrast X-ray tomography (PCXT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
None of the three components of the hip bone was chondrified at Carnegie stage (CS) 17, while vague mass with relatively high density was detected around the proximal part of the lower leg
Summary
Pelvic skeleton formation is an interesting topic in various fields, including anatomy, gynecology, sports medicine, manipulative therapy, occupational ergonomics, biomechanics, anthropometrics, and forensic science [1]. The morphogenesis of the pelvis during the early-fetal period sacrum-coccyx (in the area of the back) [2]. During embryonic and fetal development, the hip bones are described mainly as a proximal component of the hip joint [3,4,5,6,7,8]. Hip bone development has not been not as amply described as the femoral bone and joint itself [9]. While the development and morphogenesis of the vertebral column in humans are well documented, the literature regarding descriptions of the sacrum and coccyx is limited [10,11,12,13]. Previous studies found that making accurate observations around the sacrum-coccyx was difficult because of the flexure of the samples [12]
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