Cranial growth in infants─A longitudinal three-dimensional analysis of the first months of life

Meyer-Marcotty, Philipp; Kunz, Felix; Schweitzer, Tilmann; Wachter, Barbara; Böhm, Hartmut; Waßmuth, Nina; Linz, Christian

doi:10.1016/j.jcms.2018.04.009

Cited by 29 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Data detailing the pattern of head growth of infants in this study were in accordance with previous data from large cohorts [26,27], and there were no statistically significant differences between groups in the weight, length, or head circumference after T1, where preterm infants were younger than term controls. Among both preterm and full-term children, the course of cranial asymmetry was equally favorable between T1 and T4; both the highest mean value of OCLR and the highest point prevalence for DP were observed at T1, with up to one-third of the children in both groups qualifying as having DP.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

A 3D Follow-Up Study of Cranial Asymmetry from Early Infancy to Toddler Age after Preterm versus Term Birth

Launonen

Aarnivala

Kyteas

et al. 2019

JCM

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Preterm infants are at higher risk for both symmetrical and asymmetrical head molding. This study involved 3D stereophotogrammetry to assess the cranial growth, molding, and incidence of deformational plagiocephaly (DP) in preterm children compared to term born children. Thirty-four preterm infants and 34 term born controls were enrolled in this study from Oulu University Hospital, Finland. Three-dimensional head images were obtained at the age of 2–4 months (T1), 5–7 months (T2), 11–13 months (T3), and 2.5–3 years (T4) from the term equivalent age (TEA). There was no statistically significant difference in oblique cranial length ratio (OCLR), cephalic index (CI), or weighted asymmetry score (wAS) between the two groups. Occipital flattening, defined by flatness score (FS) was statistically significantly greater in the preterm group than in the term group at T1–T4 (p < 0.05). In both groups, OCLR improved gradually over time. There were no instances, in either group, of severe DP and no moderate DP after T2. Results indicate that DP affects preterm and full-term children almost equally during the first three years of life, and cranial asymmetry resolves at a similar rate in both preterm and term groups after three months of corrected age. Preterm infants present with more occipital flattening than full-term children.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

A 3D Follow-Up Study of Cranial Asymmetry from Early Infancy to Toddler Age after Preterm versus Term Birth

Launonen

Aarnivala

Kyteas

et al. 2019

JCM

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“…Until phase 2 (up to the age of 5 months), the 2D relative increase is particularly high. This was in accordance with that reported by Meyer-Marcotty et al, 7 in which longitudinal studies revealed that relative increase in early infancy in cranial length, width, vertex height, circumference, and volume was very high, and it decreased at the later phase.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…So far, the infant’s cranial growth pattern has been investigated with measures such as direct measurement, X-ray photograph (Xp), CT, and 3D stereophotogrammetric scans. 5 – 7 However, most of them express the cranial morphology with 2D values such as circumference and the ratio of length to width. The growth pattern of the cranium is complex, and there are various 3D features.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Average Models and 3-dimensional Growth Patterns of the Healthy Infant Cranium

Kuwahara

Hikosaka

Takamatsu

et al. 2020

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open

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Background: Treatment of cranial deformity is often performed during infancy in cases such as craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly. To acquire morphologic standards for the treatment goals of these conditions, we created cranial average models and elucidated the growth patterns of the cranium of healthy infants in 3-dimension (3D) using homologous modeling. Methods: Homologous modeling is a technique that enables mathematical analysis of different 3D objects by converting the objects into homologous models that share the same number of vertices with the same spatial relationships. Craniofacial computed tomographic data of 120 healthy infants ranging in age from 1 to 17 months were collected. Based on the computed tomographic data, we created 120 homologous models. Six average 3D models (20 individuals each for 6 different age groups) were created by averaging the vertices of the models. Three-dimensional growth patterns of the cranium were clarified by comparing the 6 average models. Results: We successfully created 6 average models and visualized the growth patterns of the cranium. From 1-month-old to 5-month-old infants, the entire cranium except for the occipital region grows, and the cranium tended to be brachycephalic (cephalic index at 4–5 months: 87.1–97.3), but the growth was thereafter localized to specific areas. Conclusions: Three-dimensional growth patterns of the cranium of healthy infants were clarified. These findings will support the understanding and treatment of the conditions that cause cranial deformity. To our knowledge, this is the first report to visualize the growth patterns of the entire cranium of healthy infants in 3D.

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“…It is possible that the trend of greater and faster correction in younger age groups is due to the changing rate of circumferential cranial growth during normal infant development. According to a recent examination of normal calvarial growth between 4 and 10 months of life (taken at 2 months intervals), the greatest increase in neurocranial volume occurred in the 4–6 months age range, which is the youngest range recorded by the study [18]. The Center for Disease Control’s well published normal cranial circumferential growth chart also shows the rate of growth is faster for younger infants [19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Initial Age and Severity on Cranial Remolding Orthotic Treatment for Infants with Deformational Plagiocephaly

Graham

Adams‐Huet

Gilbert

et al. 2019

JCM

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The aim of this study is to review the effects of an infant’s presenting age and severity of deformation on cranial remolding orthotic (CRO) treatment outcomes for patients with deformational plagiocephaly. This study is a retrospective chart review of 499 infants with non-synostotic plagiocephaly who completed CRO treatment. Data collected included age at start of treatment, head shape measurements before and after treatment, total months of CRO treatment, and other factors such as presence/absence of prematurity. The infants were divided into subgroups according to age and severity at initiation of treatment and data for subgroups was analyzed to track the change in head shape over the course of treatment, review overall treatment duration, and discuss the rate of change of cranial deformation. Overall, treatment times tended to statistically increase with increasing initial severity and age. Posttreatment asymmetry measurements statistically trended to greater residual deformation in infants who began treatment in the older or more severe subcategories. This indicates that younger and less severe infants have shorter treatment durations and less residual cranial deformation after CRO treatment. Therefore, clinical consideration may need to be taken to treat infants at younger ages or prior to progression of the cranial deformity.

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Cranial growth in infants─A longitudinal three-dimensional analysis of the first months of life

Cited by 29 publications

References 16 publications

A 3D Follow-Up Study of Cranial Asymmetry from Early Infancy to Toddler Age after Preterm versus Term Birth

A 3D Follow-Up Study of Cranial Asymmetry from Early Infancy to Toddler Age after Preterm versus Term Birth

Average Models and 3-dimensional Growth Patterns of the Healthy Infant Cranium

Effects of Initial Age and Severity on Cranial Remolding Orthotic Treatment for Infants with Deformational Plagiocephaly

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