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Maxillary volume growth in childhood
Richard J Langford1, Spyros Sgouros, Kalyan Natarajan
1Department of Craniofacial Surgery and Institute of Child Health, Birmingham Children's Hospital, United Kingdom.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|March 26, 2003
Summary
This study established a normal reference range for maxillary volume in children, crucial for diagnosing craniofacial abnormalities. Boys generally have larger maxillary volumes than girls, with distinct growth phases observed up to age 15.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric craniofacial development
- Medical imaging analysis
- Quantitative anatomy
Background:
- Nasomaxillary abnormalities are common in craniosynostosis and craniofacial dysostosis.
- Quantitative assessment of maxillary volume deficiency requires normative data.
- Existing data lacks comprehensive reference ranges for childhood maxillary volumes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a model for measuring maxillary volume in healthy children.
- To establish normative data for maxillary growth throughout childhood.
- To provide a reference for identifying maxillary volume discrepancies.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to acquire data from 55 healthy children (1 month to 15.33 years).
- Image segmentation techniques were applied to calculate maxillary volumes.
- Maxillary volumes were plotted against age and sex to create growth models.
Main Results:
- A model for normal maxillary growth from infancy to adolescence was generated.
- Boys exhibited larger maxillary volumes than girls across all age groups.
- Maxillary growth occurred in three distinct phases: steady increase (0-5 years), accelerated growth (5-11 years), and plateau (11-15 years).
- By 15 years, average maxillary volumes were 73.0 cm³ in boys and 59.4 cm³ in girls.
Conclusions:
- This study provides essential normative data for maxillary volume in children.
- The established model aids in the quantitative assessment of pediatric craniofacial abnormalities.
- Sex-based differences in maxillary volume are statistically significant, highlighting the need for sex-specific reference ranges.