The Application of CTA on Head and Neck Anatomy of the Styloid Process

Objective: The anatomical study of the styloid process of the head and neck by CTA. Methods: 200 cases of head and neck CTA imaging in patients were randomly enrolled(by age into A, B two groups, group A < 60 years, B group is over 60 years old) in this study. After the original data were sent to GE AW4.5 workstation, volume rendering(VR), multi planar reformat(MPR) were used and morphological observation of styloid process, and typing, and the measuring styloid process length, inner angle and anteversion and the shortest distance between the tip of the styloid process and the internal and external carotid artery were performed.Results: Average length of styloid process was about 26.79 mm, inner angle about 21.07° and anteversion about 25.03°. The tip of styloid process and internal carotid artery in the shortest distance average is about 6.26 mm, and the external carotid artery of the shortest distance average is about 4.15 mm, there were 44 cases of the shortest distance between the tip of styloid process and the external carotid artery with zero, accounting for 11.2% of the total number. Bilateral styloid process length, inner angle, the shortest distance between the tip of styloid process and external carotid artery and the right side of the front angle of gender difference showed significant differences(P<0.05); inner angle, the shortest distance between the tip of styloid process and external carotid artery between the left and right side of a statistically significant difference(P<0.05). Styloid process was divided into four types: complete type(71.75%); dysplasia type(22.75%); segmental type(4.25%); undeveloped type(1.25%). Conclusion: Head and neck CTA can display styloid process shape, measure the length of the styloid process within the inclination and anteversion, more clearly show the relationship between the styloid process and the internal and external carotid artery to measure the shortest distance between the tip of the styloid process and arteries. It helps to the diagnosis and treatment of the styloid process related diseases.