A different perspective on the styloid process morphometry

This study's goal was to obtain the length, medial-anterior angulation, and basis-apex coordinates of the styloid process (SP) on 3D-CT images of asymptomatic individuals. In this study, the anterior and lateral lengths, anterior and medial angulation, and coordinate values on the x, y, and z-axes of the basis-apex of the SP in 259 cases (132 males, 127 females) were investigated. The mean anterior SP lengths were detected to be 23.65 mm on the right side and 23.35 mm on the left side, and the mean lateral SP lengths were detected to be 21.77 mm and 21.64 mm on the right and left sides, respectively. The mean medial angulation of the SP was measured to be 64.37 degrees on the right side and 64.42 degrees on the left side, and the mean anterior angulation was measured to be 30.16 degrees and 33.69 degrees on the right and left sides, respectively. The SP basis coordinates (right: x= -40.70, y=0, z=0, left: x=40.39, y=0, z=0) and SP apex coordinates (right: x= -31.74, y= -18.90, z= -10.36, left: x=31.91, y= -18.01, z= -11.53) were determined in mm. The results of this study will positively affect the quality of the report of radiologists who report CT images of the SP in daily routine practice. Furthermore, it is important for the prevention of complications, which may be encountered during the prepostoperative period by otorhinolaryngologists dealing with the surgery of this region.