Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus V: Skeletal Systems: Cranium
Unpublished study by Jennifer K. Berge and Ronald A. Bergman
Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed
|
Foramen |
Average Size (mm) |
Largest Size (mm) |
Smallst Size (mm) |
|
Anterior Ethmoid |
2.27 x 1.14 | 8 x 3 | 0.64 x 0.64 |
|
Carotid Canal |
7.13 x 5.29 | 12 x 5 | 5.5 x 4 |
|
Foramen Ovale |
7.11 x 3.60 | 8 x 7 | 5 x 2 |
|
Foramen Rotundum |
3.26 x 2.66 | 4.5 x 3.5 | 2 x 2 |
|
Foramen Spinosum |
2.39 x 1.96 | 4 x 3 | 1 x 1 |
|
Greater Palatine |
4.01 x 2.16 | 8 x 3 | 1.67 x 1.67 |
|
Hiatus for the Greater Petrosal |
0.77 x 0.68 | 3 x 2 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Hiatus for the Lesser Petrosal |
0.37 x 0.37 | 0.83 x 0.83 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Hypoglossal (Exocranial) |
4.66 x 3.21 | 7.5 x 5 | 2 x 0.92 |
|
Infraorbital Foramen |
3.42 x 2.40 | 6 x 4 | 1.67 x 1.67 |
|
Innominate |
2.13 x 1.1 | 4 x 3 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Internal Acoustic Meatus |
4.27 x 3.78 | 6 x 5 | 3 x 3 |
|
Lacrimal |
0.71 x 0.67 | 4 x 1 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Lesser Palatine |
0.86 x 0.73 | 3.5 x 1.5 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Mandibular |
3.29 x 3.51 | 6.5 x 6 | 1 x 1 |
|
Mastoid Foramen |
1.26 x 1.09 | 5.5 x 5 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Mental Foramen |
2.43 x 1.76 | 5.5 x 3 | 0.52 x 0.52 |
|
Nasolacrimal |
5.30 x 4.45 | 7 x 7 | 3.5 x 3.5 |
|
Optic Foramen |
5.02 x 4.16 | 7 x 5 | 3.5 x 3 |
|
Parietal foramina permagna |
0.67 x 0.67 | 1.67 x 1.67 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Post. Condylar |
2.94 x 2.56 | 6 x 4.5 | 0.41 x 0.41 |
|
Posterior Ethmoid |
1.23 x 0.82 | 4 x 1.5 | 0.41 x 0.41 |
|
Stylomastoid |
1.66 x 1.56 | 2.5 x 2 | 1.07 x 1.07 |
|
Superior Alveolar |
0.57 x 0.57 | 1.07 x 1.07 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Superior Orbital |
1.85 x 1.15 | 3.5 x 1.5 | 0.52 x 0.52 |
|
Trochlear |
0.76 x 0.73 | 1.28 x 0.83 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Vesalius |
0.79 x 0.59 | 3 x 2 | 0.3 x 0.3 |
|
Unpaired Foramina |
|||
|
Foramen Magnum |
33.8 x 28.3 | 41 x 53 | 24 x 23 |
|
Incisive Canal Length |
2.76 x 2.39 | 5.5 x 4 | 0.46 x 0.46 |
|
Canal |
Average Length (mm) | Longest Length (mm) | Shortest Length (mm) |
|
Infraorbital Canal |
27.7 | 35 | 22 |
There was no significant difference between the average size of the foramina on the right and the average size of the foramina on the left, for any pair of foramina. Therefore, the "average size" was calculated by taking the average of both the right and left for each pair of foramina. When multiple openings were present for a foramen, all the openings were measured and used in the calculation of the average size.
Table 2|
Foramen |
Absent Bilateral |
Present Unilateral |
Bilateral Same Size |
Bilateral >0.5mm Diff |
|
Anterior Ethmoid |
0/90(0%) | 1/90(1%) | 65/90(72%) | 24/90(27%) |
|
Carotid Canal |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 77/100/(77%) | 23/100(23%) |
|
Foramen Ovale |
0/96(0%) | 0/96(0%) | 40/96(42%) | 56/96(58%) |
|
Foramen Rotundum |
0/98(0%) | 0/98(0%) | 90/98(92%) | 8/98(8%) |
|
Foramen Spinosum |
0/92(0%) | 1/99(1%) | 77/92(84%) | 14/92(15%) |
|
Greater Palatine |
0/99(0%) | 0/99(0%) | 67/99(68%) | 32/99(32%) |
|
Hiatus for the Greater Petrosal |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 87/100(87%) | 13/100(13%) |
|
Hiatus for the Lesser Petrosal |
15/100(15%) | 11/100(11%) | 72/100(72%) | 2/100(2%) |
|
Hypoglassal (Exocranial) |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 41/100(41%) | 59/100(100%) |
|
Infraorbital |
0/98(0%) | 0/98(0%) | 73/98(74%) | 25/98(26%) |
|
Innominate |
65/100(65%) | 17/100(17%) | 9/100(9%) | 9/100(9%) |
|
Internal Acoustic Meatus |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 91/100(91%) | 9/100(9%) |
|
Lacrimal |
28/100(28%) | 31/100(31%) | 35/100(35%) | 6/100(6%) |
|
Lesser Palatine |
0/99(0%) | 3/99(3%) | 77/99(78%) | 19/99(19%) |
|
Mandibular |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 92/100(92%) | 8/100(8%) |
|
Mastoid |
1/99(1%) | 10/99(10%) | 47/99(47%) | 41/99(41%) |
|
Mental |
0/100(0%) | 0/100(0%) | 80/100(80%) | 20/100(20%) |
|
Nasolacrimal |
0/46(0%) | 0/46(0%) | 38/46(83%) | 8/46(17%) |
|
Optic Canal |
0/97(0%) | 0/97(0%) | 82/97(85%) | 15/97(15%) |
|
Parietal |
20/99(20%) | 30/99(30%) | 33/99(33%) | 16/99(16%) |
|
Post. Condylar |
10/100(10%) | 36/100(36%) | 18/100(18%) | 36/100(36%) |
|
Posterior Ethmoid |
0/98(0%) | 0/98(0%) | 78/98(80%) | 20/98(20%) |
|
Stylomastoid |
0/99(0%) | 0/99(0%) | 98/99(99%) | 1/99(1%) |
|
Superior Alveolar |
1/91(1%) | 0/91(0%) | 86/91(95%) | 4/91(4%) |
|
Superior Orbital |
50/100(50%) | 31/100(31%) | 14/100(14%) | 5/100(5%) |
|
Trochlear |
92/100(92%) | 6/100(6%) | 2/100(2%) | 0/100(0%) |
|
Vesalius |
41/100(41%) | 24/100(24%) | 25/100(25%) | 10/100(10%) |
|
Infraorbital Canal |
0/98(0%) | 0/98(0%) | 64/98(65%) | 34/98(35%) |
Although 100 skulls were examined, not every foramen in the skull was useable due to breakage or inaccessibility. The number of useable skulls for each pair of foramina is given as the denominator. The four colums represent:
Variation in the Shape of the Superior Orbital Fissure
References
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