Anat Cell Biol.  2015 Sep;48(3):195-200. 10.5115/acb.2015.48.3.195.

Morphological study of styloid process of the temporal bone and its clinical implications

• Vadgaonkar R
• Murlimanju BV
• Prabhu LV
• Rai R
• Pai MM
• Tonse M
• Jiji PJ

• KMID: 2424822
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2015.48.3.195

Abstract

The objective of this study was to study the morphometry of the styloid process of temporal bone and prevalence of elongated styloid process. The morphology of elongated styloid process along with its embryological and clinical importance are discussed. The present study included 110 human dry skulls which were procured from the bone collections of the department of anatomy. The styloid process was observed macroscopically on both sides of all the skulls, the elongations if any were noted. All the styloids were measured for their length, thickness at different levels and interstyloid distance at various levels. Out of 110 specimens, only 5 skulls (4.5%) exhibited the elongated styloid process. Among them, 3 skulls (2.7%) had unilateral elongation and 2 skulls (1.8%) had bilateral elongation of the styloid process. The mean length of the styloid process was 17.8+/-9.3 mm and 18.2+/-5.6 mm for the right and left sides, respectively. The prevalence of elongated styloid process in the present study was 4.5%. The clinical anatomy of this congenital variant is important to the neurosurgeon and radiologist, while interpreting the computed tomogram and magnetic resonance image scans. The morphological knowledge of elongated styloid process is clinically important since the course of the vertebral artery may be distorted in such situations.

Keyword

Eagle's syndrome; Styloid process; Temporal bone

MeSH Terms

Humans
Prevalence
Skull
Temporal Bone*
Vertebral Artery

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The human skull bones exhibiting the unilateral elongated styloid process (arrows).

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  Fig. 2 The human skull bone exhibiting the bilateral elongated styloid process (arrows).

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