A Computed Tomographic Morphometric Study of the Pediatric Occipital Bone Thickness: Implications for Pediatric Occipitocervical Fusion.

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: This study is a computed tomographic-based morphometric analysis of the pediatric occipital bones as related to pediatric occipitocervical fusion. OBJECTIVE: To quantify reference data concerning the thicknesses of the immature occipital bones to guide the pediatric occipitocervical fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA To the best of our knowledge, no published study has provided insight into the thicknesses of pediatric occiputs with different age groups. METHODS: 80 pediatric patients were divided into 4 age groups, and their occiputs were studied on Philips Brilliance 256 iCT scan. RESULTS: The mean thickness ± standard deviations of the pediatric occipital bones with different age groups is shown. The median and the paramedian regions are always thicker than the more lateral regions at each age group and the thickest point in the occiputs is mostly at the external occipital protuberance. The mean thickness of occiputs showed an obvious significant difference between each 2 age groups and no significant difference between male and female in different age groups except the group 4. CONCLUSION: Our investigation provides insight into the anatomy of occiputs in pediatric population and preoperative CT evaluation must be required to further decrease the risk of occipitocervical fusion.