Craniometry of Nigerian skulls: A cadaveric study and review of the literature Short title: Craniometry of Nigerian skulls

Background: There have been several studies on clinical craniometry especially cephalic indices. However, reports on the anatomical cranial indices of Nigerian anatomical specimen are scarce in literature. The aim of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on cranial index (CI) of Nigerian skulls as well as review the literature on both Nigerian cranial and cephalic indices. Methods: The skull specimens were placed in Frankfurt plane and standard craniometric measurements were obtained to the nearest millimetre using digital spreading and sliding callipers. The cranial index (CI) was calculated from the maximum cranial length and breadth which was measured using standard anthropometric techniques. Results: Sixty – eight adult skulls of unidentified gender were assessed. The mean CI was 74.1 mm (SD±5.6) and the most common skull type was dolichocephalic. Twenty-three Nigerian articles were identified from the literature search and only three were on anatomical specimens. The mesocephalic skull type was the most commonly documented in both Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria while the least common were the brachycephalic skull type in the Southern part of Nigeria and dolichocephalic skull type in the Northern part of Nigeria. East and Central African Journal of Surgery 2 Craniometry of Nigerian skulls: A cadaveric study and review of the literature ARTICLE IN PRESS Conclusions: The skull type of Nigerians appears to be more mesocephalic than dolichocephalic and in regions where dolichocephalic values were obtained more recent values show a tendency towards brachycephalisation.