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Neurology India 2020Although rare, skull vault lesions include a vast array of pathology encompassing infection, benign, and malignant bone tumors. Given the large range of potential... (Review)
Review
Although rare, skull vault lesions include a vast array of pathology encompassing infection, benign, and malignant bone tumors. Given the large range of potential diagnoses, it is crucial to identify imaging features to differentiate one from another, ensuring early diagnosis. Radiographs are still valuable in modern radiology but have largely been superseded by computed tomography (CT) due to its high spatial resolution. Both are especially important in developing countries where access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be limited.There are currently several publications outlining imaging appearances of skull vault lesions. However, the majority of literature is dated, with the last dedicated textbook published in 1980 (Principles of X-ray diagnosis of the skull). Despite overlapping features, a few lesions have "aunt minnie," type classical characteristics, which we will highlight. Most vault lesions also appear as a spectrum depending on location and the exact stage of the disease. A small subset within each disease entity also has atypical features not widely discussed in the current literature. In this pictorial review, we hope to focus on radiographic and CT imaging appearances to help differentiate between various skull vault lesions.
Topics: Bone Neoplasms; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Skull; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 32859809
DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.293481 -
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology Jul 2019The skull is a vertebrate novelty. Morphological adaptations of the skull are associated with major evolutionary transitions, including the shift to a predatory... (Review)
Review
The skull is a vertebrate novelty. Morphological adaptations of the skull are associated with major evolutionary transitions, including the shift to a predatory lifestyle and the ability to masticate while breathing. These adaptations include the chondrocranium, dermatocranium, articulated jaws, primary and secondary palates, internal choanae, the middle ear, and temporomandibular joint. The incredible adaptive diversity of the vertebrate skull indicates an underlying bauplan that promotes evolvability. Comparative studies in craniofacial development suggest that the craniofacial bauplan includes three secondary organizers, two that are bilaterally placed at the Hinge of the developing jaw, and one situated in the midline of the developing face (the FEZ). These organizers regulate tissue interactions between the cranial neural crest, the neuroepithelium, and facial and pharyngeal epithelia that regulate the development and evolvability of the craniofacial skeleton.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Body Patterning; Facial Bones; Fishes; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Neural Crest; Skull
PubMed: 29248471
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.12.004 -
Revista Chilena de Pediatria Dec 2020Craniosynostosis is defined as the premature fusion of one or more skull sutures, characterized by an abnormal shape of the head. It is a rare condition but should be... (Review)
Review
Craniosynostosis is defined as the premature fusion of one or more skull sutures, characterized by an abnormal shape of the head. It is a rare condition but should be recognized and timely referred to Neurosurgery in order to prevent complications. The objective of this review is to describe the most frequent clinical and genetic characteristics of this pathology, its classification according to the shape of the skull, and the most characteristic signs to achieve timely recognition. A search for scientific articles in Pubmed, Scielo, and EMBASE databases was performed using the terms craniosynostosis, plagiocephaly, scaphocephaly, and brachycephaly. We selected articles in Spanish and English that described the characteristics of the pathology and about its management, choosing systematic reviews or recommendations from scientific societies when available. Craniosynostosis may occur in isola tion or associated with other deformities. Its classification depends on the affected suture(s), leading to the characteristic shape of the skull and the presence of other malformations. This condition is usually diagnosed and referred late, which is associated with complications such as intracranial hy pertension and impaired brain development. Early surgery has less comorbidity and better esthetic results. In conclusion, the abnormal shape of the skull must raise the suspicion of craniosynostosis, even if it occurs in isolation. Surgical management before one year of life is associated with a better prognosis.
Topics: Age Factors; Brain; Child; Craniosynostoses; Humans; Skull; Time Factors
PubMed: 33861834
DOI: 10.32641/rchped.vi91i6.1470 -
Ultrasonics Feb 2022Transcranial ultrasound is emerging as a noninvasive tool for targeted treatments of brain disorders. Transcranial ultrasound has been used for remotely mediated...
Transcranial ultrasound is emerging as a noninvasive tool for targeted treatments of brain disorders. Transcranial ultrasound has been used for remotely mediated surgeries, transient opening of the blood-brain barrier, local drug delivery, and neuromodulation. However, all applications have been limited by the severe attenuation and phase distortion of ultrasound by the skull. Here, we characterized the dependence of the aberrations on specific anatomical segments of the skull. In particular, we measured ultrasound propagation properties throughout the perimeter of intact human skulls at 500 kHz. We found that the parietal bone provides substantially higher transmission (average pressure transmission 31 ± 7%) and smaller phase distortion (242 ± 44 degrees) than frontal (13 ± 2%, 425 ± 47 degrees) and occipital bone regions (16 ± 4%, 416 ± 35 degrees). In addition, we found that across skull regions, transmission strongly anti-correlated (R=-0.79) and phase distortion correlated (R=0.85) with skull thickness. This information guides the design, positioning, and skull correction functionality of next-generation devices for effective, safe, and reproducible transcranial focused ultrasound therapies.
Topics: Acoustics; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Middle Aged; Skull; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
PubMed: 34717144
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2021.106591 -
Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007) Oct 2022The dorsoventrally flattened skull typifies extant Crocodylia perhaps more than any other anatomical feature and is generally considered an adaptation for semi-aquatic...
The dorsoventrally flattened skull typifies extant Crocodylia perhaps more than any other anatomical feature and is generally considered an adaptation for semi-aquatic feeding. Although the evolutionary origins of caniofacial flattening have been extensively studied, the developmental origins have yet to be explored. To understand how the skull table and platyrostral snout develop, we quantified embryonic development and post-hatching growth (ontogeny) of the crocodylian skull in lateral view using geometric morphometrics. Our dataset (n = 103) includes all but one extant genus and all of the major ecomorphs, including the extremely slender-snouted Gavialis and Tomistoma. Our analysis reveals that the embryonic development of the flattened skull is remarkably similar across ecomorphs, including the presence of a conserved initial embryonic skull shape, similar to prior analysis of dorsal snout shape. Although differences during posthatching ontogeny are recovered among ecomorphs, embryonic patterns are not distinct, revealing an important shift in developmental rate near hatching. In particular, the flattened skull table is achieved by the end of embryonic development with no changes after hatching. Further, the rotation of skull roof and facial bones during development is critical for the stereotypical flatness of the crocodylian skull. Our results suggest selection on hatchling performance and constraints on embryonic skull shape may have been important in this pattern of developmental conservation. The appearance of aspects of cranial flatness among Jurassic stem crocodylians suggests key aspects of these cranial developmental patterns may have been conserved for over 200 million years.
Topics: Alligators and Crocodiles; Animals; Biological Evolution; Head; Phylogeny; Skull
PubMed: 34694063
DOI: 10.1002/ar.24802 -
Child's Nervous System : ChNS :... Aug 2020
Topics: Child; Humans; Parents; Skull
PubMed: 32500185
DOI: 10.1007/s00381-020-04693-5 -
IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics,... Sep 2021Histotripsy has been previously shown to treat a wide range of locations through excised human skulls in vitro. In this article, a transcranial magnetic resonance...
Histotripsy has been previously shown to treat a wide range of locations through excised human skulls in vitro. In this article, a transcranial magnetic resonance (MR)-guided histotripsy (tcMRgHt) system was developed, characterized, and tested in the in vivo pig brain through an excised human skull. A 700-kHz, 128-element MR-compatible phased-array ultrasound transducer with a focal depth of 15 cm was designed and fabricated in-house. Support structures were also constructed to facilitate transcranial treatment. The tcMRgHt array was acoustically characterized with a peak negative pressure up to 137 MPa in free field, 72 MPa through an excised human skull with aberration correction, and 48.4 MPa without aberration correction. The electronic focal steering range through the skull was 33.5 mm laterally and 50 mm axially, where a peak negative pressure above the 26-MPa cavitation intrinsic threshold can be achieved. The MR compatibility of the tcMRgHt system was assessed quantitatively using SNR, B0 field map, and B1 field map in a clinical 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Transcranial treatment using electronic focal steering was validated in red blood cell phantoms and in vivo pig brain through an excised human skull. In two pigs, targeted cerebral tissue was successfully treated through the human skull as confirmed by MRI. Excessive bleeding or edema was not observed in the peri-target zones by the time of pig euthanasia. These results demonstrated the feasibility of using this preclinical tcMRgHt system for in vivo transcranial treatment in a swine model.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Phantoms, Imaging; Skull; Swine
PubMed: 33755563
DOI: 10.1109/TUFFC.2021.3068113 -
Medical Principles and Practice :... 2022Luckenschadel skull is a skull that is radiologically characterized by lacunae in the cranial vault. To date, although the association between neurological abnormalities...
OBJECTIVE
Luckenschadel skull is a skull that is radiologically characterized by lacunae in the cranial vault. To date, although the association between neurological abnormalities and scoliosis is well recognized, no relationship between idiopathic scoliosis and a lacunar skull has been defined. We explored the incidence and time courses of lacunar skulls in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Spinal X-rays of 3,170 children aged 6-16 years with idiopathic scoliosis evaluated from October 2010 to August 2020 were examined for the presence of an irregular inner calvarial table indicative of a Luckenschadel skull. A total of 1,760 (55.5%) of the 3,170 images included the skull. We also explored the frequency of intraspinal abnormalities in children with lacunar skull images who underwent spinal magnetic resonance imaging.
RESULTS
The study population consisted of 1,760 children, 1,203 girls (68.4%) and 557 (31.6%) boys. A total of 268 (15.2%) clearly evidenced lacunar skulls in their radiographs; 186 (69.4%) girls (11.3 ± 4.3 years) and 82 (30.6%) boys (12.6 ± 3.3 years). Two of the 56 patients (3.6%) who underwent spinal MRI had intraspinal abnormalities (isolated Chiari malformation-I). No additional neurological problems were detected in children with lacunar skulls.
CONCLUSION
We conclude that the lacunar skull is very common in children with idiopathic scoliosis who lack any other neurological pathology. The lacunar skull does not disappear even in adolescence. Although previous publications have stated that lacunar skull disappears over time in radiographic images, we observed that it became more noticeable over time in children with scoliosis.
Topics: Adolescent; Arnold-Chiari Malformation; Child; Female; Humans; Incidence; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Scoliosis; Skull
PubMed: 34875653
DOI: 10.1159/000521359 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Nov 2022: The spinous foramen (FS) of the skull is an opening located in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone at the base of the skull, and it includes the middle meningeal...
: The spinous foramen (FS) of the skull is an opening located in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone at the base of the skull, and it includes the middle meningeal vessels and the meningeal branch of the mandibular trigeminal nerve. The FS is commonly used as an anatomical landmark in neurosurgical procedures and neuroimaging of the middle cranial fossa because of its relationship with other cranial foramina and surrounding vascular and nervous structures. Thus, specific knowledge of its topography and possible anatomical variations is important regarding some surgical interventions and skull imaging. The aim of this study was to provide further details on the morphology of the FS of the skull by evaluating its topographic and morphometric relationships and correlating the findings with clinical practice. : Thirty dried skulls of human skeletons from body donors from the collection of the Laboratory of Anatomical Microdissection at a medical school were used. The metric dimensions and variations of the FS and its relationship with adjacent bone structures were analyzed with an interface digital microscope. : The results showed the bilateral presence of the FS in all skulls; however, differences were observed in the shape, diameter, and topography in relation to the foramen ovale and the spine of the sphenoid. The FS was present in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone; however, in one skull, it was located in the lateral lamina of the pterygoid process. The FS was smaller than the foramen ovale. A round and oval FS shape was the most common (42.1% and 32.8% of the samples, respectively), followed by drop-shaped (12.5%) and irregular-shaped (12.5%) foramina. : In conclusion, FS variations among individuals are common and must be considered by surgeons during skull base interventions in order to avoid accidents and postoperative complications.
Topics: Humans; Sphenoid Bone; Body Weights and Measures; Neurosurgical Procedures; Postoperative Complications
PubMed: 36556942
DOI: 10.3390/medicina58121740 -
Lakartidningen Feb 2020
Topics: Humans; Skull
PubMed: 32068881
DOI: No ID Found