A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children
Abstract The foramen magnum (FM) is a crucial transition zone between the skull and spine, with its growth mostly completed by the end of the age of four. A study on adults reported that the ratio of the anteroposterior to transverse diameter of the FM and skull aligns with the golden ratio (4.62),...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10505-0 |
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| author | Ramazan Dulkadir Tufan Ulcay Özkan Görgülü Emre Uğuz Muhammed Fırat Aladağ Burcu Kamaşak Arpaçay Ruken Öncü Erdal Ünlü Şaban Tiryaki Harun Ülger |
| author_facet | Ramazan Dulkadir Tufan Ulcay Özkan Görgülü Emre Uğuz Muhammed Fırat Aladağ Burcu Kamaşak Arpaçay Ruken Öncü Erdal Ünlü Şaban Tiryaki Harun Ülger |
| author_sort | Ramazan Dulkadir |
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| description | Abstract The foramen magnum (FM) is a crucial transition zone between the skull and spine, with its growth mostly completed by the end of the age of four. A study on adults reported that the ratio of the anteroposterior to transverse diameter of the FM and skull aligns with the golden ratio (4.62), suggesting a harmonious relationship. Our study aims to investigate whether this ratio is present in children by analyzing Computed Tomography (CT) images, and whether FM shape variations affect this ratio. We analyzed CT images of 201 Turkish children (male: 117, female: 84), measuring maximum cranial length (MCL), width (MCW), foramen magnum length (FML), and width (FMW). Group comparisons were made using the Independent t-test and ANOVA. Relationships between continuous variables were examined using Pearson correlation analysis. Ratios of MCW to FMW and MCL to FML were consistent in children aged 6–17. The ratio of 4.90 obtained from these parameters observed between the skull and FM reveals the presence of a unique anatomical balance in the skull. FM shapes were classified morphologically, with their frequency and incidence recorded. For categorical variables, associations were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. A total of 12 distinct FM shapes were identified, with the two semicircle shape being the most prevalent, appearing in 32.8% of cases. In contrast, the pentagonal and triangular shapes were the rarest, each representing only 0.5% of the cases. Recalculating these ratios across different FM shapes may provide a clearer understanding of the validity of the golden ratio. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5eff7983e1643a9b7e8a0418eb096bb2025-08-20T03:42:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511610.1038/s41598-025-10505-0A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent childrenRamazan Dulkadir0Tufan Ulcay1Özkan Görgülü2Emre Uğuz3Muhammed Fırat Aladağ4Burcu Kamaşak Arpaçay5Ruken Öncü6Erdal Ünlü7Şaban Tiryaki8Harun Ülger9Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Information, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Kirsehir Ahi Evran UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Erciyes UniversityAbstract The foramen magnum (FM) is a crucial transition zone between the skull and spine, with its growth mostly completed by the end of the age of four. A study on adults reported that the ratio of the anteroposterior to transverse diameter of the FM and skull aligns with the golden ratio (4.62), suggesting a harmonious relationship. Our study aims to investigate whether this ratio is present in children by analyzing Computed Tomography (CT) images, and whether FM shape variations affect this ratio. We analyzed CT images of 201 Turkish children (male: 117, female: 84), measuring maximum cranial length (MCL), width (MCW), foramen magnum length (FML), and width (FMW). Group comparisons were made using the Independent t-test and ANOVA. Relationships between continuous variables were examined using Pearson correlation analysis. Ratios of MCW to FMW and MCL to FML were consistent in children aged 6–17. The ratio of 4.90 obtained from these parameters observed between the skull and FM reveals the presence of a unique anatomical balance in the skull. FM shapes were classified morphologically, with their frequency and incidence recorded. For categorical variables, associations were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. A total of 12 distinct FM shapes were identified, with the two semicircle shape being the most prevalent, appearing in 32.8% of cases. In contrast, the pentagonal and triangular shapes were the rarest, each representing only 0.5% of the cases. Recalculating these ratios across different FM shapes may provide a clearer understanding of the validity of the golden ratio.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10505-0Foramen magnumGolden ratioMorphometryMorphology |
| spellingShingle | Ramazan Dulkadir Tufan Ulcay Özkan Görgülü Emre Uğuz Muhammed Fırat Aladağ Burcu Kamaşak Arpaçay Ruken Öncü Erdal Ünlü Şaban Tiryaki Harun Ülger A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children Scientific Reports Foramen magnum Golden ratio Morphometry Morphology |
| title | A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children |
| title_full | A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children |
| title_fullStr | A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children |
| title_short | A new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre- and post-adolescent children |
| title_sort | new golden ratio for foramen magnum in pre and post adolescent children |
| topic | Foramen magnum Golden ratio Morphometry Morphology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10505-0 |
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