Ann Rehabil Med.  2014 Aug;38(4):541-547. 10.5535/arm.2014.38.4.541.

A New Ultrasound Method for Assessment of Head Shape Change in Infants With Plagiocephaly

• Kim JK
• Kwon DR
• Park GY

• KMID: 2165737
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2014.38.4.541

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare a new ultrasound measurement method with calliper cephalometry in infants with deformational plagiocephaly (DP) and to assess the differences of two methods according to the severity of DP.
METHODS
Fifty-two infants with DP were divided into two groups according to the degree of cranial vault asymmetry (CVA); group 1 included 42 infants with CVA over 10 mm, and group 2 included 10 infants with CVA under 10 mm. Cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) and occipital angle ratio (OAR) were measured by using calliper and ultrasound measurements, respectively. The occipital angle was defined as the angle between the lines projected along the lambdoid sutures of the skull.
RESULTS
The occipital angles of the affected sides were significantly greater than those of unaffected sides in both groups. The CVAI and OAR were significantly greater in group 1 than in group 2 (CVAI, 9.3%+/-2.3% vs. 4.6%+/-1.5%; OAR, 1.05+/-0.4 vs. 1.01+/-0.0; p<0.05). The OAR was positively correlated with the CVAI in all infants (r=0.789) and in group 1 (r=0.784; p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Our study revealed that OAR using the new ultrasound measurement was positively correlated with the CVAI in infants with DP. Therefore, the occipital angle measurement using ultrasound combined with cephalometry could provide better understanding about the characteristics of the overall cranial bone and lambdoid suture complex in infants with DP.

Keyword

Plagiocephaly; Deformational; Ultrasound; Cephalometry; Craniofacial abnormalities

MeSH Terms

Cephalometry
Craniofacial Abnormalities
Head*
Humans
Infant*
Plagiocephaly*
Plagiocephaly, Nonsynostotic
Skull
Sutures
Ultrasonography*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) was calculated using caliper (A). The cranial diagonal diameter was measured on unaffected (a) and affected sides of skull (a>b). Cranial vault asymmetry (CVA) is defined as the difference between the cranial diagonal diameters (a-b) divided by long cranial diagonal diameter (a); and CVAI is CVA multiplied by 100. An occipital angle was measured on ultrasound image in unaffected (B) and affected skull (C). A straight line between the two end points was drawn along the calvaria on the left and right sides of the lambdoid suture (arrow). The occipital angle was defined as the angle between straight lines that was drawn from each end point of the lambdoid suture along the skull. The occipital angle was 167° at unaffected (B) and 184° at affected skull (C).

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