Visibility of sutures of the orbit and periorbital region using multidetector computed tomography

Knowledge of cranial suture morphology is crucial in emergency medicine, forensic medicine, and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery. This study assessed the visibility of sutures of the orbit and periorbital region on multidetector computed tomography.

Multidetector computed tomography scans of 200 patients (127 males, 73 females; mean age 51.3 years; range, 6-92 years) were evaluated retrospectively. The slice thicknesses varied from 0.5 to 1 mm, and the tube current from 25 to 370 mAs, depending on the CT indication. The visibility of sutures was estimated according to a 4-point scale from "not visible" to "well visible". The chi-squared test was used to test the association of the visibility of sutures with the slice thickness, tube current, and age of patients. Statistical significance was assumed at p < 0.05.

Overall, best visibility was found for the sutura frontozygomatica (98%), sutura frontonasalis (88.5%), and sutura sphenozygomatica (71.5%), followed by the sutura zygomaticomaxillaris (65.8%), sutura temporozygomatica (41.8%), sutura frontomaxillaris (44.5%), and sutura sphenofrontalis (31%). Poor visibility was found for the sutura frontolacrimalis (16.8%) and sutura frontoethmoidalis (1.3%). The sutura ethmoidomaxillaris, sutura lacrimomaxillaris, and sutura ethmoidolacrimalis were not visible.

Although the sutures of the superior, lateral, and inferior orbit are well visible, those of the medial orbit are poorly visible on CT scans.