A proposed extension to the elongated styloid process definition: A morphological study with high-resolution tomography computer

•The location of the styloid process is important because of its relation to adjacent neurovascular structures: carotid arteries, internal jugular vein, and several cranial nerves.•The normally length of styloid process ranges between 20–30mm, considering elongated those≥30mm, but other authors propose an elongated SP be considered>45mm.•In our asymptomatic patients, the mean length was on elongated range: 31.67±0.97mm on right side and 31.64±0.90mm on left side.•A 27.6% presented a morphologically elongated SP (>25mm of continuous process), 49.5% presented a radiologically elongated SP (>30mm), and a total of 9.59% had a longer length then the proposed≤45mm.•The high prevalence of asymptomatic patients with elongated styloid process in this study and the literature supports the need for a new definition of elongated. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the morphology and angulation of the styloid process (SP), analyzing results stratified by gender, side and age on asymptomatic patients. We retrospectively analyzed 99 high-resolution computed tomography study images from asymptomatic patients. The images were assessed intra-observatory by a head and neck expert radiologist. Data for length, morphology, and angulation in a coronal and sagittal plane were recorded and stratified by age and gender. Morphology was classified according to the Langlais modified by Guimares classification. The mean lengths were 31.67±0.97mm and 31.64±0.90mm for the right and left sides respectively. Using the Langlais modified by Guimares classification, the normal type was the most prevalent and without a statistically significant difference when comparing between genders. A total of 27.6% presented a morphologically elongated SP (>25mm of continuous process), 49.5% presented a radiologically elongated SP (>30mm), and a total of 9.59% had a longer length than the proposed≤45mm. The right transverse angle was greater in men than women, and a statistically significant difference was found (P=0.010). We show the morphological variability of the SP. Although our results are reported with the traditional definition, the high prevalence supports the need for a new definition of elongated SP and a normal angulation ranges. L’objectif de la présente étude était d’évaluer la morphologie et l’angulation du processus styloïde (SP), en analysant les résultats stratifiés par sexe, côté et âge sur des patients asymptomatiques. Nous avons analysé rétrospectivement 99 images d’é