[Relative postnatal growth of the basal regions of the cranial fossa]

The relative postnatal growth of the bony floor parts was calculated from previous measurements and planimetrically determined on 21 adults and 13 skulls of children. As expected 1) the percentage rise in length and breadth values was lower than that of the area values. 2) The greatest postnatal area rise (63%) was determined in the hypophyseal region. 3) The growth of the individual skull areas terminates at a variable period after birth, e.g. a) between the foramen caecum and the tuberculum sellae in the 8th year of life; the planum sphenoidale, however, grows after the 9th year of life by approx. 27%! b) In children of 8 years of age, the lateral length of the middle cranial fossa is about 98% of the adult value. c) Between the 6th year of life and adult age a length increase of 18.5% takes place (tuberculum sellae--dorsum sellae). d) In 5-year old children the lateral length of the posterior cranial fossa is 97.5%, in 8-year-olds 99.9% of the adult value. e) After the 8th year of life the breadth increase is e.g. 6.4% in the region of the anterior cranial fossa, 3.5% in the middle fossa, and 10% in the pituitary region.