Anatomical and Morphometric Evaluation of the Cranial Index and Its Relevance to Clinical Syndromes

Objective: The most widely used method to define the craniofacial complex is the cranial index (CI). This index is calculated by determining the ratio between the maximum cranial width (CW) and the cranial length (CL), and is one of the clinically accepted anthropometric parameters. This study investigates the CI of Turkish dry skulls and its effects on sex, population affinity, and clinical syndromes. Materials and Methods: One hundred adult Turkish dry skulls (57 male, 43 female) were investigated. The CI was calculated by the ratio of CL to CW and multiplied by 100 according to Martin's methods. SPSS 25 was used for statistical analysis. Results: CI values were 88.75 +/- 1.40 mm in males and 84.90 +/- 1.13 mm in females, and differences between them were significant (p=0.045). Ultradolicocephalic and hyperdolichocephalic types were not detected. Brachiocephalic types (28%) were more frequent in females than in males, whereas ultra-brachycephalic types (33%) were more frequent in males (p<0.05). The most frequent type in Turkish dry skulls was brachycephalic (26%) and ultrabrachycephalic (26%), followed by the hyperbrachycephalic (22%), mesocephalic (21%), and dolichocephalic types (5%). Conclusion: It can be said that the brachiocephalic type is a more frequent type in Turkish adult dry skulls. The differences in CI and type between the sexes may be indicative of sexual dimorphism. Skull types can be useful in demonstrating craniofacial abnormalities or clinical syndromes.