Age-Related Changes in Nasal Septal Composition: A CT-Based Morphometric Analysis
Mustafa Emrah Kınal1, Niyazi Gunsu Koç1
1Sultan 2.Abdülhamid Khan Education and Research Hospital, Ministry of Health, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, İstanbul, Türkiye, Üsküdar.
Facial Plastic Surgery : FPS
|July 16, 2026
Summary
The nasal septum transitions from cartilage to bone dominance with age, stabilizing after early adulthood. This age-related shift impacts craniofacial development and rhinoplasty.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Developmental Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- The nasal septum is crucial for craniofacial development and rhinoplasty.
- Age-related changes in nasal septum composition are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate age-related morphometric changes in the nasal septum.
- To test if nasal septum composition shifts from cartilage to bone dominance with aging.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study of 200 patients' facial CT scans.
- Measurement of septal cartilage area (SCA), lamina perpendicularis area (LPA), vomer area (VA), and total septum area (TSA).
- Analysis of cartilage-to-bone ratio and SCA/LPA ratio by age and sex.
Main Results:
- Total septum area (TSA) increased until adolescence, then stabilized.
- Septal cartilage area (SCA) declined post-adolescence; lamina perpendicularis area (LPA) increased until early adulthood.
- Cartilage dominance decreased and stabilized after age 30, with similar trends in both sexes.
Conclusions:
- Nasal septum morphology shows a distinct age-related transition.
- A shift from cartilage to bone dominance occurs with aging, reaching equilibrium in adulthood.
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