Quantitative anatomy of the ilium's primary ossification center in the human fetus

Topography of muscular branches of the superficial fibular nerve based on anatomical preparation of human foetuses

BACKGROUND

The progress of pediatric surgery and increasingly better diagnosis of fetal defects require detailed knowledge of human developmental anatomy. Precise knowledge of the anatomy of innervation of the lower extremities corresponds to this subject and is not only cognitive but also clinically important. The aim of this study was to analyse the anatomy of the topography of the muscular branches of the superficial fibular nerve (NPS) in the prenatal period, which will fill a gap in the literature.

METHODS

The analysis was carried out on 207 human foetuses aged from the 113th day to 222nd day of foetal life. The study material is a part of the collection of the Division of Normal Anatomy of Wroclaw Medical University. The study incorporated the following methods: anthropological, preparational and image acquisition which was acquired with the use of high-resolution digital camera. Statistical analysis was carried out with the use of STATISTICA package.

RESULTS

Based on the research results the number of muscle branches of the examined nerve was determined. It was shown that in more than half of the cases the two nerve branches are responsible for Peroneus Longus innervation and in about 90% of cases one branch is responsible for Peroneus Brevis innervation. Based on the obtained data a unique, new typology of distribution of these branches was created. It has been shown that the bipinnate type is the most common in the examined fetal population. The presence of statistically significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of individual innervation patterns depending on sex and body side were excluded (p > 0.05). There were also no statistically significant changes in the frequency of occurrence of individual types of NPS branch distribution according to fetal age (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The created unique typology of NPS branch distribution based on extensive preparation material is an important supplement to the anatomical knowledge and at the same time, due to the peripheral and superficial location of the described structures, it has a relevant clinical significance.

Quantitative anatomy of the primary ossification center in the fetal pubis bone

Purposes

Skeletodysplasiae and hereditary dysostoses constitute a group of over 350 disorders of the skeletal system. Knowledge about development of the pubic primary ossification center may be useful in both determining the fetal stage and maturity, and for detecting congenital disorders. The present study was performed to quantitatively examine the pubic primary ossification center with respect to its linear, planar, and volumetric parameters.

Materials and methods

Using methods of computed tomography (CT), digital-image analysis and statistics, the size of the pubic primary ossification center in 33 spontaneously aborted human fetuses (18 males and 15 females) aged 22–30 weeks was studied.

Results

With no sex and laterality differences, the best-fit growth dynamics for the pubic primary ossification center was modeled by the following functions: y = − 13.694 + 0.728 × age ± 0.356 for its sagittal diameter, y = − 3.350 + 0.218 × age ± 0.159 for its vertical diameter, y = − 61.415 + 2.828 × age ± 1.519 for its projection surface area, and y = − 65.801 + 3.173 × age ± 2.149 for its volume.

Conclusions

The size of the pubic primary ossification center shows neither sex nor laterality differences. The growth dynamics of the vertical and sagittal diameters, projection surface area, and volume of the pubic ossification centers follow proportionately to fetal age. The obtained numerical findings of the pubic ossification center are considered age-specific reference data with clinical implications in the diagnostics of congenital defects.

Morphometric study of the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft in the human fetus

PURPOSES

Precise morphometric data on the development of ossification centers in human fetuses may be useful in the early detection of skeletal dysplasias associated with delayed ossification center development and mineralization. The present study was performed to quantitatively examine the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft with respect to its linear, planar and volumetric parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using methods of CT, digital-image analysis (Osirix 3.9 MD) and statistics (Student's t-test, Shapiro-Wilk, Fisher's test, Tukey's test, Kruskal-Wallis test, regression analysis), the size of the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft in 47 spontaneously aborted human fetuses (25 ♂ and 22 ♀) aged 17-30 weeks was studied. In each fetus, the assessment of linear dimensions (length, transverse diameters for: proximal end, middle part and distal end), projection surface area and volume of the fibular shaft ossification center was carried out.

RESULTS

With no sex and laterality differences, the best fit growth dynamics for the primary ossification center of the fibular shaft was modelled by the following functions: y = - 13.241 + 1.567 × age ± 1.556 (R2 = 0.94) for its length, y = - 0.091 + 0.063 × age ± 0.073 (R2 = 0.92) for its proximal transverse diameter, y = - 1.201 + 0.717 × ln(age) ± 0.054 (R2 = 0.83) for its middle transverse diameter, y = - 2.956 + 1.532 × ln(age) ± 0.090 (R2 = 0.89) for its distal transverse diameter, y = - 69.038 + 4.699 × age ± 4.055 (R2 = 0.95) for its projection surface area, and y = - 126.374 + 9.462 × age ± 8.845 (R2 = 0.94) for its volume.

CONCLUSIONS

The ossification center in the fibular shaft follows linear functions with respect to its length, proximal transverse diameter, projection surface area and volume, and natural logarithmic functions with respect to its middle and distal transverse diameters. The obtained morphometric data of the fibular shaft ossification center is considered normative for their respective prenatal weeks and may be of relevance in both the estimation of fetal age and the ultrasound diagnostics of congenital defects.

The primary ossification of the human fetal ischium: CT, digital-image analysis, and statistics

Purposes

Details concerning the normal growth of the pelvic girdle in the fetus are of importance in the early detection of congenital defects. This study was executed to quantitatively evaluate the primary ossification center of the ischium with relation to its linear, planar and volumetric parameters.

Materials and methods

Using methods of CT, digital-image analysis, and statistics, geometrical dimensions of the ischium’s primary ossification center in 42 spontaneously aborted human fetuses (21 ♂ and 21 ♀) aged 18–30 weeks were calculated.

Results

With no sex and laterality differences, the best fit growth dynamics for the ischium’s primary ossification center were displayed by the following functions: y = − 10.045 + 0.742 × age ± 0.013 (R² = 0.97) for its vertical diameter, y = − 5.212 + 0.385 × age ± 0.008 (R² = 0.97) for its sagittal diameter, y = − 36.401 + 0.122 × (age)² ± 45.534 (R² = 0.96) for its projection surface area, and y = − 1052.840 + 368.470 × ln(age) ± 12.705 (R² = 0.91) for its volume.

Conclusions

Neither male–female nor right–left differences are found for any of the morphometric parameters of the ischium’s primary ossification center. With relation to fetal ages in weeks, the ischium’s primary ossification center grows proportionately in vertical and sagittal diameters, second-degree polynomially in projection surface area, and logarithmically in volume. The quantitative findings of the ischium’s primary ossification center are considered age-specific reference data of relevance in the diagnostics of innate defects.

Three-dimensional growth of tibial shaft ossification in the human fetus: a digital-image and statistical analysis

PURPOSES

Tibial shaft ossification in terms of its size and growth may be criticalin describing both the fetal stage and maturity, and in identifying innate disorders. The present study was executed to quantitatively assess ossification of the tibial shaft, taking its morphometric linear, planar and volumetric parameters into account.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

With the use of methods of CT, digital-image analysis and statistics, the evolutionof tibial shaft ossification in 47 spontaneously aborted human fetuses at the age of 17-30 weeks was studied.

RESULTS

Without any male-female and right-left morphometric differences, the best fit growth dynamics fortibial shaft ossification was modelled by the following functions: y = 5.312 + 0.034 × (age)² ± 0.001 (R² = 0.89) for its length, y = - 2.855 + 0.307 × age ± 0.009 (R² = 0.96) for its proximal transverse diameter, y = - 0.758 + 0.153 × age ± 0.005 (R² = 0.88) for its middle transverse diameter, y = - 1.844 + 0.272 × age ± 0.09 (R² = 0.90) for its distal transverse diameter, y = - 40.263 + 0.258 × (age)² ± 0.007 (R² = 0.94) for its projection surface area, and y = - 287.996 + 1.186 × (age)² ± 0.037 (R² = 0.92) for its volume. The femoral-to-tibial ossification length ratio was 1.15 ± 0.1.

CONCLUSIONS

The size of tibial shaft ossification displays neither sex nor laterality differences. Tibial shaft ossification follows quadratic functions with respect to its length, projection surface area and volume, and linear functions with respect to its proximal, middle and distal transverse diameters. The obtained morphometric data of tibial shaft ossification are considered normative age-specific references of relevance in both the estimation of fetal ages and the ultrasound diagnostics of congenital defects.