Anterior cranial-base time-related changes: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: The anterior cranial base has long been considered a stable reference structure for superimposing radiographs. However, some studies have questioned its stability. Therefore, the purposes of this systematic review were to give an overview of the studies evaluating growth and development of the anterior cranial base, assess their methodologic quality, and evaluate their validity and accuracy.

Methods: Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched without limitations up to June 2013. Additionally, the bibliographies of the finally selected articles were hand searched to identify any relevant publications that were not identified before. The lowest levels of evidence accepted for inclusion were cohort and cross-sectional studies.

Results: A total of 11 articles met all inclusion criteria. They were published between 1955 and 2009. The sample sizes of these studies ranged from 28 to 464 subjects. Their methodologic quality ranged from moderate to low.

Conclusions: Sella turcica remodels backward and downward, and nasion moves forward because of the increase in size of the frontal sinus. These events lead to a continuous increase in the length of the cranial base until adulthood. The presphenoid and cribriform plate regions can be considered stable after age 7, making them the best cranial-base superimposition areas.