Persistent Metopism and Partial Occipitalization of the Atlas: A Rare Combination

A BSTRACT The metopic suture and the atlantooccipital fusion (A.O.F.) have numerous causes. However, their presence together in a single skull is seen rarely. In the observed skull, there was a persistent incomplete metopic suture between the nasion and bregma and a partially occipitalised atlas vertebra. The knowledge of these two findings in a single skull are important to radiologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and physiotherapists. There are likely chances of some novel gene mutation causing a particular syndrome associated with persistent metopic suture and occipitalisation of Atlas vertebrae.