AN ANATOMICAL STUDY OF FORAMEN SPINOSUM IN SOUTH INDIAN DRY SKULLS WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON MORPHOLOGY AND MORPHOMETRY

Aim: To study themorphological details and to evaluate themorphometry of the Foramen Spinosum in the base of dry human skulls in South Indian population. Methods: 82 dry adult human skulls of unknown sex and of South Indian origin were obtained and variations in appearance were observed. The length and width of the Foramen Spinosum on both sides were determined using vernier calipers and area (A) was calculated and analyzed. Also, its mean distance from the midline on both the sides was noted and analyzed. Results: The values for the right side were 3.425± 0.637mm, 2.687± 0.487mm and 7.357 ± 2.195 mm2 and for the left side the values were 3.339 ± 0.660mm, 2.675 ± 0.465 mm and 7.110± 2.103 mm2 respectively, for the mean length,mean breadth andmean area of the Foramen Spinosum. Also, the shape of the Foramen Spinosum was typically round in most of the skulls studied (53.65%) and it was little away from midline on the left side. Conclusion: By analyzing the length, width and area of the Foramen Spinosum on both the sides, there was no statistical difference for the values obtained and these values were comparable with the studies done in the past.