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Journals / Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 48 Sayı: 1

Cranial Morphometric Patterns and Frontal Sinus Variations in Adults with Persistent Metopic Suture: Computed Tomography Based Analysis

PersistanMetopik Sütürü Olan Yetişkinlerde Kranial Morfometrik Paternler ve Frontal Sinüs Varyasyonları: Bilgisayarlı Tomografi Temelli Analiz

Erdem Özkan(Kastamonu Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi)0000-0001-8120-7051
Aybüke Uçgun(Etlik Şehir Hastanesi)0000-0002-5240-6243
Ersin Yavuz(Etlik Şehir Hastanesi)0009-0000-8080-7901
Şehnaz Evrimler(Etlik Şehir Hastanesi)0000-0002-9907-0011
Pages
42–53
Publication Date
2025-12-15
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Our findings reveal that PMS is associated with distinctive cranial morphological patterns characterized by predominantly brachycephalic forms and elevated frontal sinus asymmetry.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Persistent metopic suture (PMS) represents an anatomical variation where the metopic suture fails to fuse during normal development.
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Key Findings & Data:This study aimed to investigate cranial morphometric patterns and frontal sinus (FS) morphology in the adult Turkish population with PMS using computed tomography (CT).We analyzed 165 adult patients (83 women, 82 men; mean age 56.67±19.78 years) with PMS who underwent cranial CT between January 2023-2024.
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Conclusion & Impact:Our findings reveal that PMS is associated with distinctive cranial morphological patterns characterized by predominantly brachycephalic forms and elevated frontal sinus asymmetry.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2023-2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Persistan metopik sütür · bilgisayarlı tomografi · sefalik indeks

Abstract

Persistent metopic suture (PMS) represents an anatomical variation where the metopic suture fails to fuse during normal development. This study aimed to investigate cranial morphometric patterns and frontal sinus (FS) morphology in the adult Turkish population with PMS using computed tomography (CT).We analyzed 165 adult patients (83 women, 82 men; mean age 56.67±19.78 years) with PMS who underwent cranial CT between January 2023-2024. Cranial morphometric measurements including occipitofrontal distance (OFD), biparietal diameter (BPD), and interorbital distance (IOD) were obtained, cephalic index (CI) was calculated, and FS morphology was evaluated. Brachycephalic morphology was most prevalent (40.0%), followed by hyperbrachycephalic (38.8%), mesocephalic (18.8%), and dolichocephalic (2.4%) forms. Males demonstrated significantly larger OFD, BPD and IOD compared to females (p<0.001), while CI showed no sex-related differences (p=0.719). Bilateral FS asymmetry was identified in 40.0% of patients. Right frontal sinus hyperplasia was significantly associated with larger IOD (p=0.009). Our findings reveal that PMS is associated with distinctive cranial morphological patterns characterized by predominantly brachycephalic forms and elevated frontal sinus asymmetry. Although the findings of this study are quite valuable, our study is limited to a Turkish adult cohort and cannot be generalized to other ethnic or demographic populations.

Özet

Persistan metopik sütür (PMS), metopik sütürün normal gelişimi sırasında füzyone olmadığı anatomik bir varyasyondur. Bu çalışmada, PMS'li yetişkin Türk popülasyonunda, kranial morfometrik paternlerin ve frontal sinüs (FS) morfolojisinin bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) ile araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Ocak 2023-2024 arasında kranial BT çekilen PMS'li 165 yetişkin hastayı (83 kadın, 82 erkek; ortalama yaş 56.67±19.78 yıl) analiz ettik. Oksipitofrontal mesafe (OFM), biparietal mesafe (BPM) ve interorbital mesafe (İOM) dahil kranial morfometrik ölçümler elde edildi, sefalik indeks (Sİ) hesaplandı ve FS morfolojisi değerlendirildi. Brakisefalik morfoloji en yaygındı (%40.0), bunu hiperbrakisefalik (%38.8), mezosefalik (%18.8) ve dolikosefalik (%2.4) formlar takip etti. Erkeklerde kadınlara göre OFM, BPM ve İOM anlamlı olarak daha büyük değerler gösterdi (p<0.001), Sİ ise cinsiyetler arası fark göstermedi (p=0.719). Bilateral FS asimetrisi hastaların %40.0'ında tespit edildi. Sağ FS hiperplazisi daha büyük İOM’ler ile anlamlı olarak ilişkiliydi (p=0.009). Bulgularımız PMS'nin ağırlıklı olarak brakisefalik formlar ve artmış FS asimetrisi ile karakterize belirgin kranial morfolojik paternlerle ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışmanın bulguları oldukça değerli olmakla birlikte çalışmamız Türk yetişkin kohortuyla sınırlıdır ve diğer etnik veya demografik popülasyonlara genellenemez.

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Cite This Article

Özkan, E., Uçgun, A., Yavuz, E., Evrimler, Ş. (2025). Cranial Morphometric Patterns and Frontal Sinus Variations in Adults with Persistent Metopic Suture: Computed Tomography Based Analysis. Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, Cilt: 48 Sayı: 1, 42–53. https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1768335

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