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Growth patterns and ratios of posterior cranial fossa structures in the Japanese pediatric population: a study
Hiroaki Hashimoto1,2, Osamu Takemoto3, Yasuyoshi Chiba3
1Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Izumi, 594-1101, Japan. h-hashimoto@ndr.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Insights
Pediatric posterior cranial fossa structures show rapid growth until age 4, then stabilize. Key ratios like posterior cranial fossa volume to intracranial volume increase and then plateau during early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neuroimaging
- Developmental anatomy
- Cranial base development
Background:
- Understanding pediatric posterior cranial fossa (PCF) development is crucial for diagnosing congenital abnormalities and developmental disorders.
- Previous studies have not clearly defined the proportional changes in PCF structures during childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the growth patterns and volumetric ratios of posterior cranial fossa structures in children.
- To establish normative data for PCF development using CT imaging.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 234 pediatric head CT scans (ages 0-10 years).
- Segmentation and volumetric analysis of intracranial volume (ICV), posterior cranial fossa volume (PCFV), cerebellum volume (CBMV), and brainstem volume (BSV).
- Creation of age-specific growth curves and calculation of key volumetric ratios (PCFV/ICV, (CBMV+BSV)/PCFV).
Main Results:
- All analyzed volumes (ICV, PCFV, CBMV, BSV) demonstrated a two-phase growth pattern: rapid growth until ~4 years, followed by stabilization.
- Positive correlations were found among all parameters, strongest between PCFV and CBMV.
- The PCFV/ICV ratio increased and stabilized by 4 years, while the (CBMV+BSV)/PCFV ratio increased and stabilized by 1 year.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric posterior cranial fossa structures exhibit distinct growth phases and changing volumetric proportions during development.
- The findings provide valuable quantitative insights into normal PCF development, aiding in the assessment of pediatric neurodevelopmental conditions.
Purpose:
The changes in the proportion of posterior cranial fossa structures during pediatric development remain unclear. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the growth patterns and ratios of these structures using CT scans.
Methods:
Head CT scans of pediatric patients with minor head trauma from Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital between March 2006 and May 2023 were analyzed. The study segmented the intracranial volume (ICV), posterior cranial fossa volume (PCFV), cerebellum volume (CBMV), and brainstem volume (BSV). Correlation coefficients were calculated among the parameters. Patients aged 0 to 10 years were divided into 15 age-related clusters, and mean and standard deviation values were measured. Growth curves were created by plotting mean values sequentially. Ratios such as PCFV/ICV and (CBMV + BSV)/PCFV were examined. Statistical analyses, including unpaired t tests and logarithmic curve fitting, were performed.
Results:
A total of 234 CT scans (97 from females, 115 from infants under 1 year of age) were analyzed. Positive correlations were observed among the parameters, with the strongest between PCFV and CBMV. The growth curves for ICV, PCFV, CBMV, and BSV exhibited a two-phase process, with rapid growth until approximately 4 years of age, followed by stabilization. The ratios PCFV/ICV and (CBMV + BSV)/PCFV showed increasing trends from birth onwards, stabilizing by 4 and 1 years of age, respectively.
Conclusion:
This study provides insights into the growth patterns and ratios of posterior cranial fossa structures in the pediatric population. The findings demonstrate a two-phase growth process and increasing trends in the examined ratios.
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