The Correlation Between the Foramen Magnum Dimensions and the Main Craniometric Data of the Skull

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to study the correlation between the length and width of the foramen magnum and the craniometric data of the skull. Methods. The research material consisted of 200 skulls. There were 20 skulls of adolescence age, I adulthood age 68, II adulthood age 72, and elderly age 40. In total, there were 86 male skulls and 114 female skulls. Foramen magnum length is measured as the mid-sagittal distance from the most anterior point on the foramen magnum to opisthion. Foramen magnum breadth is gauged between the lateral margins of the foramen magnum at the point of greatest lateral curvature. A non-parametric ρ-Spearman's rank correlation was used in the study. Results. A correlation between the foramen magnum length and foramen magnum breadth is identified (r=0.479, P<0.001).The foramen magnum length positively correlates with maximum cranial length, nasio-occipital length, bizygomatic breadth, basion-bregma height, cranial base length, basion-prosthion length, biauricular breadth, upper facial breadth, left and right orbital breadths, left and right orbital height, biorbital breadth, interorbital breadth, frontal chord, biasterionic breadth, bimaxillary breadth, and zygoorbitale breadth. The foramen magnum breadth positively correlates with maximum cranial length, nasio-occipital length, bizygomatic breadth, basion-bregma height, cranial base length, basion-prosthion length, maxilla-alveolar breadth, maxilla-alveolar length, biauricular breadth, upper facial breadth, nasal height, left and right orbital breadths, left and right orbital heights, biorbital breadth, frontal chord, parietal chord, bimaxillary breadth, and zygoorbitale breadth. Conclusion. The fact that the length and breadth of the foramen magnum positively correlate with many basic craniometric indicators allows us to regard the foramen itself, or rather, the structures limiting it, as quite stable.