MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF NECK PARAMETERS IN THE PERINATAL PERIOD OF ONTOGENESIS
Authors: Tsumanets I.O. , Lavriv L.P. 
Published: August 2024

This study aims – to establish the normative morphometric parameters of the neckcircumference, anterior- posterior diameter, height, and width during the perinatal periodof ontogenesis, after which the parameters will be used to construct anatomical models. Material and Methods. The study was conducted on 63 human fetuses aged 4 to10 months and 7 newborns (including 5 isolated organ systems). To create anatomicalmodels, the well-known dimensions of the neck in all age groups were determined usinga centimeter tape and a caliper. The neck circumference was measured at the level of thehyoid bone. The anteroposterior neck diameter was defined as the distance between thebody of the hyoid bone and the VII spinous process of the cervical vertebra. Neck heightwas measured from the upper to the lower neck borders. Neck width was determined inthe frontal plane at the level of the hyoid bone between the lateral edges of the neck.Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the licensed program RStudio.Results. A morphometric analysis of the average values of the well-known neck parameters,namely its circumference, anterior- posterior diameter, height, and width, was conductedin the perinatal period of ontogenesis. The analysis revealed that these parameters exhibitnon-synchronous growth throughout the studied period of the development, with periodsof intensive and relative growth. A correlation analysis was conducted between allmorphometric parameters of the neck of fetuses and newborns. The results demonstratedthat the correlation coefficients between the values of all paired correlation coefficientswere positive and close to 1 (≥0.90), indicating a strong positive correlation between allstudied parameters. A statistical analysis of the data from the Conover- Iman test indicatesthat the median values of the morphometric parameters of the neck cannot be consideredreliable for the pairs «9 months – 10 months» and «10 months – Newborns». This isjustified by the fact that individual anatomical variability is inherent in each individual,and these periods of the development are critical for the neck area. The constructedstandard anatomical models of the morphometric parameters of the neck will serve asa norm for the subsequent determination of certain morphological deviations, which willthen be used to establish variants of the structure and developmental defects of the neck.Conclusions. 1. During the perinatal period of the development, the well-known parametersof the neck, namely its circumference, anterior- posterior diameter, height and width,increase asynchronously. 2. The average values of the morphometric parameters of the neckcircumference and anterior- posterior diameter during the perinatal period of ontogenesisindicate that one period of accelerated development is evident, occurring between the 7thand 9th month of intrauterine development for the neck circumference and between the 6thand 9th month of development for the anterior- posterior diameter of the neck. Two periods ofaccelerated development are observed for the parameters of neck height and width. For neckheight, these periods are from the 5th to the 7th month of development and from the 8th to the9th month of development. For neck width, the periods are from the 4th to the 5th month ofthe development and from the 7th to the 9th month of intrauterine development. In all otherperiods of development, the morphometric parameters of the neck exhibit a slight increase. 3.Based on the arithmetic mean data of the circumference, anterior- posterior diameter, height,and width of the neck, models for predicting the normative morphometric parameters of fetusesand newborns were constructed. The systematized data on the peculiarities of spatial andtemporal transformations of the morphometric parameters of the neck circumference, anteriorposterior diameter, neck height and width, followed by their construction of mathematicalmodels, will contribute to the individualization of the norm, improvement of early diagnosticmethods and development of new methods of surgical correction of congenital neck defects.