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Published on: February 2, 2015
Cephalic Index of Korean Children With Normal Brain Development During the First 7 Years of Life Based on Computed
Heesung Nam1, Nami Han1, Mi Ja Eom1
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Insights
The cephalic index (CI) in Korean children is generally larger than in Caucasians. This study establishes a normal CI range for Korean children up to age seven, aiding in diagnosing cranial deformities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Anthropometry
- Neurodevelopmental Morphology
Background:
- The cephalic index (CI) is a key metric for assessing cranial shape.
- Establishing normative CI data is crucial for identifying abnormal head shapes in children.
- Previous studies have shown ethnic variations in CI, necessitating population-specific data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal range and age-dependent distribution of the cephalic index (CI) in Korean children.
- To establish a classification system for the CI in Korean children up to 7 years of age.
- To identify differences in CI between Korean children and other ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1,248 Korean children (aged 0-7 years) with normal brain development.
- Cephalic index (CI) measurement using brain computed tomography (CT).
- CI calculation: (cephalic width/cephalic length) × 100, with data stratified by age groups.
Main Results:
- Average CI values varied across age groups, with a general trend of decreasing CI with age after infancy.
- The CI of Korean children was found to be significantly larger compared to Caucasian populations.
- Specific average CI values were reported for each age bracket from 0-3 months to over 7 years.
Conclusions:
- The established CI data provides a valuable reference for diagnosing and managing cranial deformities like dolichocephaly and brachycephaly in Korean children.
- This research highlights the need for ethnicity-specific normative data in pediatric craniometry.
- The findings support the clinical monitoring of cranial morphology in young Korean patients.
Objective:
To identify the normal range, distribution, and age-dependent differences in the cephalic index (CI) of Korean children with normal brain development and develop a classification of the current CI for Korean children up to 7 years of age.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 1,389 children who visited our hospital in the emergency room between October 2015 and September 2020 because of suspected head injuries. Finally, 1,248 children (741 male and 507 female) were enrolled after excluding abnormal medical or familial history and divided into 10 groups by age. The CI was measured using brain computed tomography and calculated according to the following equation: cephalic width/cephalic length×100.
Results:
The averages of CI by age groups were as follows: 89.29 (0-3 months group, n=44); 91.41 (4-6 months group, n=63); 89.68 (7-9 months group, n=62); 87.52 (10-12 months group, n=41); 87.64 (≥2 years group, n=243); 86.63 (≥3 years group, n=178); 85.62 (≥4 years group, n=232); 85.77 (≥5 years group, n=201); 85.15 (≥6 years group, n=75); and 85.34 (≥7 years group, n=109). The CI of Korean children in normal brain development was confirmed to be large, showing a notable difference compared to that of Caucasians.
Conclusion:
The current CI of Korean children will provide a valuable reference for diagnosing and treating cranial deformities, especially dolichocephaly and brachycephaly as well as to monitor the morphology of the cranium in clinics.
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