Abstract
PurposesPrecise morphometric data on the development of ossification centers in human fetuses may be useful in the early detection of skeletal dysplasias associated with delayed ossification center development and mineralization. The present study was performed to quantitatively examine the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft with respect to its linear, planar and volumetric parameters.Materials and methodsUsing methods of CT, digital-image analysis (Osirix 3.9 MD) and statistics (Student’s t-test, Shapiro–Wilk, Fisher’s test, Tukey’s test, Kruskal–Wallis test, regression analysis), the size of the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft in 47 spontaneously aborted human fetuses (25 ♂ and 22 ♀) aged 17–30 weeks was studied. In each fetus, the assessment of linear dimensions (length, transverse diameters for: proximal end, middle part and distal end), projection surface area and volume of the fibular shaft ossification center was carried out.ResultsWith no sex and laterality differences, the best fit growth dynamics for the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft was modelled by the following functions: y = − 13.241 + 1.567 × age ± 1.556 (R2 = 0.94) for its length, y = − 0.091 + 0.063 × age ± 0.073 (R2 = 0.92) for its proximal transverse diameter, y = − 1.201 + 0.717 × ln(age) ± 0.054 (R2 = 0.83) for its middle transverse diameter, y = − 2.956 + 1.532 × ln(age) ± 0.090 (R2 = 0.89) for its distal transverse diameter, y = − 69.038 + 4.699 × age ± 4.055 (R2 = 0.95) for its projection surface area, and y = − 126.374 + 9.462 × age ± 8.845 (R2 = 0.94) for its volume.ConclusionsThe ossification center in the fibular shaft follows linear functions with respect to its length, proximal transverse diameter, projection surface area and volume, and natural logarithmic functions with respect to its middle and distal transverse diameters. The obtained morphometric data of the fibular shaft ossification center is considered normative for their respective prenatal weeks and may be of relevance in both the estimation of fetal age and the ultrasound diagnostics of congenital defects.
Highlights
Length of fetal long bones is extremely useful for determining both fetal anatomy and assessing gestational ages
Detailed morphometric data on the development of ossification centers in the human fetus may be useful in the early detection of skeletal dysplasias associated with delayed ossification center development and mineralization [21]
The fetuses studied could not suffer from growth retardation, as the correlation between the gestational age based on the crown-rump length (CRL) and that calculated by the last menstruation attained the value R = 0.99 (p < 0.001)
Summary
Length of fetal long bones is extremely useful for determining both fetal anatomy and assessing gestational ages. Detailed morphometric data on the development of ossification centers in the human fetus may be useful in the early detection of skeletal dysplasias associated with delayed ossification center development and mineralization [21]. Such a data is important in the detection of defects involving shortened bones, including osteogenesis imperfecta type II, achondrogenesis and hypophosphatasia [21]. The most common skeletodysplasias are thanatophoric dysplasia, achondrogenesis, osteogenesis imperfecta and homozygotic achondroplasia [15] Among these skeletal defects, 51% are lethal dysplasias, which accounts for 9 per 1,000 prenatal deaths [13]. Achondroplasia exerts the greatest effect on lengths of long bones, longitudinal dimensions of which are decreased by some 40% [15]
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