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Data-driven Normative Reference of Pediatric Cranial Bone Development
Jiawei Liu1, Connor Elkhill1,2,3, Scott LeBeau2
1Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo.
Insights
This study introduces a data-driven model for pediatric cranial bone development, offering precise age- and sex-specific references for bone shape, thickness, and density. It quantifies suture fusion as a continuous process, improving diagnostic accuracy for cranial conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pediatric Radiology
- Quantitative Anatomy
Background:
- Existing cranial bone development references lack comprehensiveness due to limited datasets.
- Current models often rely on simplified assumptions for suture fusion and bone variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a data-driven normative model for pediatric cranial bone development from birth to 10 years.
- To represent age- and sex-specific variability in calvarial bone shape, thickness, and density.
- To quantify suture fusion as a continuous temporal process.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large cross-sectional pediatric CT dataset (2068 subjects, 0-10 years).
- Employed principal component analysis and temporal regression for statistical modeling.
- Validated the model using an independent longitudinal dataset (51 subjects).
Main Results:
- Achieved low temporal predictive errors for bone shape (2.98 mm), thickness (0.27 mm), and density (76.72 HU).
- Identified significant sex differences in intracranial volume and bone surface areas (P < 0.01).
- Found no significant sex differences in cephalic index, bone thickness, density, or suture fusion.
Conclusions:
- Presented the first pediatric age- and sex-specific statistical reference for cranial bone characteristics.
- Demonstrated model's predictive accuracy and utility in studying sex-related developmental differences.
- Successfully quantified suture fusion as a continuous developmental process.
Abstract:
Available normative references of cranial bone development and suture fusion are incomplete or based on simplified assumptions due to the lack of large datasets. We present a fully data-driven normative model that represents the age- and sex-specific variability of bone shape, thickness, and density between birth and 10 years of age at every location of the calvaria.
Methods:
The model was built using a cross-sectional and multi-institutional pediatric computed tomography image dataset with 2068 subjects without cranial pathology (age 0-10 years). We combined principal component analysis and temporal regression to build a statistical model of cranial bone development at every location of the calvaria. We studied the influences of sex on cranial bone growth, and our bone density model allowed quantifying for the first time suture fusion as a continuous temporal process. We evaluated the predictive accuracy of our model using an independent longitudinal image dataset of 51 subjects.
Results:
Our model achieved temporal predictive errors of 2.98 ± 0.69 mm, 0.27 ± 0.29 mm, and 76.72 ± 91.50 HU in cranial bone shape, thickness, and mineral density changes, respectively. Significant sex differences were found in intracranial volume and bone surface areas (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in cephalic index, bone thickness, mineral density, or suture fusion.
Conclusions:
We presented the first pediatric age- and sex-specific statistical reference for local cranial bone shape, thickness, and mineral density changes. We showed its predictive accuracy using an independent longitudinal dataset, we studied developmental differences associated with sex, and we quantified suture fusion as a continuous process.
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