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Published on: April 13, 2013
Computer tomography determined intracranial volume of infants with deformational plagiocephaly: a useful "normal"?
A H Abbott1, D J Netherway, M H Moore
1Australian Cranio-Facial Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.
Insights
Children with deformational plagiocephaly, a condition causing head shape distortion, were studied. Male patients showed larger intracranial volumes than historical data, suggesting current norms may be inadequate for this age group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Craniometry
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Deformational plagiocephaly shares head shape similarities with lambdoid craniosynostosis, leading to similar imaging protocols.
- Previous assumptions suggested normal intracranial volume in children with deformational plagiocephaly.
- Recent research questions established normal intracranial volume ranges in human populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare intracranial volume in children with deformational plagiocephaly against a historical reference population.
- To investigate potential gender-based differences in intracranial volume related to deformational plagiocephaly.
- To evaluate the adequacy of existing reference data for assessing pediatric intracranial volume.
Main Methods:
- Computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed for 66 children (20 females, 46 males) with deformational plagiocephaly.
- Patient age ranged from 2.5 to 20.7 months.
- Intracranial volumes were compared to Lichtenberg's historical data (1960).
Main Results:
- No significant difference in intracranial volume was found between females with deformational plagiocephaly and the reference population.
- Males with deformational plagiocephaly exhibited significantly larger intracranial volumes compared to Lichtenberg's population.
- The findings suggest Lichtenberg's data may not accurately represent normal intracranial volume for males in the studied age range.
Conclusions:
- Lichtenberg's reference data may be outdated or insufficient for evaluating male pediatric intracranial volume.
- Deformational plagiocephaly data could serve as a temporary reference for assessing intracranial volume in children with craniosynostosis.
- Further research is needed to establish comprehensive and current normal reference ranges for pediatric intracranial volume.
Abstract:
Over the last 10 years, children with deformational (nonsynostotic) plagiocephaly have undergone computed tomography scans using the same protocols as children with lambdoid craniosynostosis because of their similarly distorted head shapes. These children are believed to have normal intracranial volume. Given the recent questioning of what is the normal range of intracranial volume in human populations, the authors have undertaken a comparison of the intracranial volume of children with deformational plagiocephaly and Lichtenberg's normal population (Lichtenberg R. Radiographie du crane de 226 enfants normaux de la naissance a 8 ans: Impressions digitiformes, capacite, angles et indices [thesis]. Paris: University of Paris, 1960). The intracranial volume was determined for 20 females and 46 males with deformational plagiocepahly ranging in age from 2.5 to 20.7 months using computed tomography scan data. Although no significant differences were found for the females, the authors found that the intracranial volume of the males with deformational plagiocephaly were significantly larger than Lichtenberg's population. The authors conclude that this is because Lichtenberg's data do not adequately reflect the normal range of intracranial volume for males ranging in age from 2.5 to 20.7 months, rather than gender differences associated with deformational plagiocephaly. Further, until a more suitable normal becomes available, the deformational (nonsynostotic) plagiocephaly data could be used as substitute normal reference material in the measured age range for assessment of the intracranial volumes of children with craniosynostosis.
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