Sphenoid Bone Pneumatisation on Lateral Cephalograms of Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease that causes tumors and many developmental disorders, e.g., cranial dysplasia. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the pneumatisation of the sphenoid bone in NF1. The anonymised lateral cephalograms of 166 NF1 patients and 166 age- and sex-matched controls were examined for anterior-posterior sphenoid pneumatisation. The patient group analysis considered whether the patients had been affected by a facial plexiform neurofibroma (FPNF). Sphenoid pneumatisation was significantly lower in NF1 patients than in controls [odds ratio (OR)=0.184; 95%CI=0.11-0.32; p