Sexual features of facial skull asymmetry according to spiral computed tomography

Abstract

Objective: To perform a comparative analysis of the linear dimensions of the facial skull that are the most signifi cant in determining asymmetry in persons of diff erent sex on spiral computed tomograms (SCT).Materials and Methods: The CT scan of 104 people of both sexes (women – 52%, n = 54, men – 48%, n = 50) were studied. Measurements were made using a standard digital ruler of a computer tomograph workstation, and the asymmetry of the skulls was assessed using the “fan” method. The results were processed using the Excel program.Results: In the male and female series of SCT, according to the size of the intervals of sigma of linear dimensions of the facial skull, the occurrence rate of asymmetry of varying severity was determined.Conclusion: In the male series of SCT, right-sided asymmetry of the linear dimensions of the facial skull prevails in all “fans”, in the female – right-sided asymmetry in the upper and lateral “fans”, but left -sided asymmetry in the lower “fan”. Statistically signifi cant linear dimensions of the facial skull were revealed to determine the severity of asymmetry in both sexes. In the upper “fan”, these are the distances from the nasion to the zygomaxilar (N-Zm), from the nasion to the frontonazale (N-Fn), prevailing on the right in both sexes. In the lower “fan”– the distance from the supraspinal to the zygomaxilar (Ss-Zm), and in the lateral “fan” – the distance from the zygomaxilar to the frontonasal (Zm-Fn), prevailing on the right in both sexes. An insignifi cant or physiological and moderate degree of asymmetry in the size of the facial skull depending on gender was revealed, which did not require correction.

Keywords

• facial skull
• craniometry
• asymmetry
• multispiral computed tomography