RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to analyze the anatomic variations of supraorbital foramina/notches in Koreans and to compare the results with those of previous studies examining other races. We evaluated the three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) images of human faces using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: A total of 395 adults (232 men and 163 women) were enrolled and the 3D-CT images of their faces were reviewed in this study. In this study, the data from the images included the presence, shape, width and distance from the nasion to the supraorbital foramina/notches. ANOVA was used to assess the main effects of gender and side (right or left foramen/notch), and comparisons of the means were done by paired t-test. RESULTS: The most common shapes in Koreans were a single notch (39.5%) on the right hand side and a single foramen (42.3%) on the left hand side. The incidence of a single foramen in Koreans was high compared to other races. The mean foramen diameter was 2.34 +/- 0.78 mm, and the mean distance from the nasion was 27.19 +/- 4.03 mm. The mean notch diameter was 3.37 +/- 1.71 mm, and the mean distance from the nasion was 23.42 +/- 2.45 mm. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on the variations of supraorbital foramina/notches in Koreans using 3D-CT images of faces. The anatomic characteristics of the supraorbital foramina/notch will help in performing nerve blocks and maxillofacial surgery.