Association between vertebral artery dominance and basilar artery curvature in migraineurs: an anatomical magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSES: Numerous studies demonstrate a link between cerebrovascular alterations and migraine pathogenesis. We investigated the association between migraine and vertebral artery dominance (VAD), basilar artery (BA) curvature, and elongation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional MRI study included 74 migraine patients and 74 control subjects aged between 18 and 55 years. Diameters of the intracranial part of the vertebral artery (VA) and BA, height of the BA bifurcation, and total lateral displacement of the BA were measured. In addition, we investigated the directional relationship between VAD and BA curvature. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding VA and BA diameters and total lateral displacement of the BA. The height of the BA bifurcation was found to be significantly higher in migraine patients compared to controls (p = 0.002). The left-side VAD was more frequent in migraine patients compared to control subjects (60.8% (45/74) vs 41.9% (31/74), p = 0.001). In migraine patients, particularly those with aura (MwA) patients, with left-side VAD, the rate of BA displacement to the right side is significantly higher than those with right-side VAD or non-VAD (p = 0.022). Also, we found that total lateral displacement of the BA is correlated with VA asymmetry in patients with MwA (r = 0.538, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: VAD and its opposite-directional relationship with the lateral displacement of the BA may be associated with migraine pathophysiology. Together with aging, this association may contribute to changes in the vertebrobasilar system (VBS) geometry which may result in increased risk for posterior circulation infarction (PCI) in migraineurs.

Surgical landmarks for identification and preservation of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the topographical anatomic features of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (ibSLN) at the thyrohyoid membrane entrance area in relation to certain consistent anatomical structures. MATERIALS: METHODS: Twenty-two fresh adult head cadavers (9 male, 13 female; age range 52-95 years) with no signs of abnormality in the neck were dissected to determine the anatomic relationship of ibSLN and superior border of thyroid cartilage, thyroid notch, carotid bifurcation, hyoid corpus, and hyoid greater cornu. RESULTS: The topographical relationship between ibSLN and superior border of thyroid cartilage, thyroid notch, carotid bifurcation, hyoid corpus, and hyoid greater cornu was identified bilaterally in all cadavers. According to the measures, danger zone and safe zone areas for surgical could be predicted and for surgical manipulations as well. CONCLUSION: We provided the surgical anatomy and important landmarks for determining the internal branch of superior laryngeal nerve in the thyrohyoid membrane entrance region to avoid surgical damage during surgeries of this region.

Preoperative and postoperative high angular resolution diffusion imaging tractography of cerebellar pathways in posterior fossa tumors.

This study aimed to utilize high angular resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (HARDI) tractography in the mapping of the pathways of the cerebellum associated with posterior fossa tumors (infratentorial neoplasms) and to determine whether it is useful for preoperative and postoperative evaluation. Retrospective data from 30 patients (age 2-16 yr) with posterior fossa tumor (17 low grade, 13 high grade) and 30 age-sex-matched healthy controls were used. Structural and diffusion-weighted images were collected at a 3-tesla scanner. Tractography was performed using Diffusion Toolkit software, Q-ball model, FACT algorithm, and angle threshold of 45 degrees. Manually assessed regions of interest were placed to identify reconstructed fiber pathways passing through the superior, medial, and inferior cerebellar peduncles for the preoperative, postoperative, and healthy control groups. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and track volume measures were obtained and analyzed. Statistically significant differences were found between the preop/postop, preop/control, and postop/control comparisons for the volume of the tracts in both groups. Displacement and disruption of the pathways seemed to differ in relation to the severity of the tumor. The loss of pathways after the operation was associated with selective resection during surgery due to tumor infiltration. There were no FA differences but significantly higher ADC in low-grade tumors, and no difference in both FA and ADC in high-grade tumors. The effects of posterior fossa tumors on cerebellar peduncles and reconstructed pathways were successfully evaluated by HARDI tractography. The technique appears to be useful not only for preoperative but also for postoperative evaluation.

Morphometric Development of the Mandible in Fetal Cadavers.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to present reliable data by measuring the morphometric properties of the mandible in the fetal period. METHODS: A study was performed on mandibles of 35 fetuses (18 male fetuses and 17 female fetuses), aged between 21 and 40 weeks of gestation. Fetuses were examined in 3 groups according to their developmental stages: 2nd trimester, 3rd trimester, and full-term. Morphometric measurements were performed for both the right and left sides of each mandible. The measurements of the mental foramen were performed using a digital caliper, and other measurements were performed using the ImageJ program. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 20 for Windows program. RESULTS: There was no significant gender difference for all parameters. When the parameters were compared by the trimesters, no significant difference was determined in the 2nd trimester - 3rd trimester, 3rd trimester-full-term, and second trimester - full-term comparisons of the angle of the mandible, and there was a significant difference in all other parameters (P < 0.05). According to the trimesters, all parameters, except the angle of the mandible, increased naturally with the development of the mandible. It was observed that the angle of the mandible decreased from the 2nd trimester to the 3rd trimester and increased from the 3rd trimester to the full term. When the right and left measurements were compared, no significant difference was found for all parameters in both general and trimester groups. CONCLUSION: The present study includes fetal mandibular parameters that have not been reported elsewhere. It is thought that the obtained data will contribute to the determination of anomalies, pathologies, and variations.

Morphometric development of the tongue in fetal cadavers.

PURPOSE: The tongue is a specific organ for the sense of taste. It consists of the striated muscle and mucous membrane. Furthermore, it helps the functions of speech, chewing, and swallowing. In this study, we aimed to reveal some morphometric properties of the tongue in fetal cadavers. METHODS: The study was conducted on a total of 45 fetal tongues (25 male tongues, 20 female tongues) aged between 17 and 40 weeks. The fetuses were divided into three groups as trimester II, trimester III, and full term. For each tongue, the length, width, area, free tongue length, and the terminal sulcus angle were measured using Image J program. The free tongue length/tongue length ratio was examined. RESULTS: The obtained data were compared according to the trimester groups and genders. It was determined that the tongue length, width, area, and free tongue length increased during the trimesters and that there was no significant difference in the terminal sulcus angle and the free tongue length/tongue length ratio between the trimesters. No significant difference was found in all parameters between the genders. CONCLUSIONS: This study presented significant data on morphometric development of the tongue. These data are thought to be useful for determining the anomaly and variations of the tongue.

Tracing the papier mache anatomical models of Ottoman Turkish medicine and Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux.

Papier-mâché means chewed paper, and it defines a method. Various decorative products and functional tools have been produced with this method, which includes various techniques and materials. Maybe, the most interesting one among these is anatomic models developed and spread around the world by the French physician Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux (1797-1880) at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Dr Auzoux' human anatomical models in Ottoman-Turkish medicine. Primary and secondary sources were analysed such as Museum collections, archives, and scientific databases accessible on the Internet. This revealed that, at the beginning of the 1820s, Dr. Auzoux developed the method for papier-mâché anatomical models after a period of suffering difficulties in finding and preserving cadavers for dissection at the medical faculty which he worked. In 1825, he completed his invention, which had significant advantages over previously used methods for anatomical models, and then founded a production workshop in St. Aubin. Many medical schools in Europe, Africa, and South America utilised these models. Sources mentioned that the Ottoman Empire also purchased various anatomical models. Although it is not exactly known how many and from which models, it is known that whole male and female body models and pregnancy developmental models were purchased in 1837. In addition to human anatomic models, Dr. Auzoux's company also began to manufacture veterinary and botanical models soon. In that period of the Ottoman Empire during which cadaver dissection was forbidden and only artificial models and drawings were used for the education, Auzoux's models can be considered as very important tools for the Turkish Ottoman medical education and influential on the transition from traditional to modern medicine. Today, unfortunately, the fate of most of the human anatomical models purchased in the name of the Ottoman Empire is not known.

The evaluation of morphometry of the mastoid process using multidetector computed tomography in a living population.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of the bony landmarks on the lateral surface of the mastoid process (MP). It was also the target of this study to reveal the importance of sexual dimorphism in terms of the mastoid triangle. Our study was performed on 140 (70 women, 70 men) multidetector computed tomography images obtained from patients who underwent radiologic examination at the Department of Radiology of Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University. The height of the MP was measured using 2 different ways. The distance between the mastoid apex and the midpoint of the distance of the porion and the mastoid notch was measured (mastoid height 1). Then, the distance between the Frankfurt horizontal plane and the mastoid apex was measured (mastoid height 2). The distances between porion-mastoid notch, porion-mastoid apex, porion-asterion, asterion-mastoid apex, articular tubercle-asterion, articular tubercle-mastoid apex, as well as the right and the left MP were also measured. Finally, the angles between porion-mastoid apex-asterion, mastoid apex-asterion- porion, and asterion-porion-mastoid apex were measured. All data were analyzed statistically using the Student's t-test. According to the results of the measurements, all right and left parameters of the men were higher than the women's right and left sides except for the angle between asterion-porion-mastoid apex. In addition, all right and left parameters were almost the same in both sexes. Having the knowledge of measurements of the distances between the major landmarks of the temporal bone is essential to avoid possible complications during facial, mastoid, and especially sigmoid sinus surgeries.

The evaluation of morphometry of nasal bone and pyriform aperture using multidetector computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to measure nasal bone (NB) and pyriform aperture (PA), morphometrically. Besides, the different types of NB and PA were classified and determined the sexual differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study was performed on 120 (60 women, 60 men) multidetector computed tomography images obtained from patients who underwent radiologic examination in the Department of Radiology of Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University. The right, left, and median heights of NB; the superior and inferior widths of NB; the width of PA; and the distance between rhinion and anterior nasal spine (as the height of PA) were measured. Frontonasal and internasal angles were also determined. All data were analyzed statistically using Student's t-test. RESULTS: The other data of men were higher than of women except for the superior and inferior widths of NB and the frontonasal angle. We also determined the ratio of the height of PA to the height of NB on median plane and the ratio of the height of PA to the width of PA. They were found less than 2.0 in 64.2% and 100% of the cases, respectively. The NB and PA were classified into 8 and 7 different types, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of the morphometric data and different types of the NB and PA is essential for sex determination, all surgical procedures related to this area, and nasal reconstructions.

Ulnar nerve innervation of the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle: a cadaveric study.

Although the ulnar nerve is closely associated with the triceps brachii muscle, the literature does not normally describe it as supplying this muscle. However, recent research has examined the ulnar nerve in the upper arm and identified branches supplying the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle. This study aims to expand upon this research by describing the course and incidence of these branches in a larger sample size. We examined 50 specimens in 25 cadavers. Ulnar innervation of the medial head of the triceps brachii was identified in 14 specimens (28%). The mean distance of the ulnar nerve branch midpoint was 26% along a line between the surgical neck and an epicondyle line, with a range of 11-39%. Innervation of the triceps brachii muscle by the ulnar nerve has important clinical and surgical implications.