CRANIOFACIAL SKELETAL MEASUREMENTS BASED ON COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY .2. NORMAL VALUES AND GROWTH TRENDS

Current diagnosis and surgical correction of craniofacial anomalies wo uld benefit from accurate quantitative and standardized points of refe rence. A retrospective study was undertaken to define normal values fo r a series of craniofacial measurements and to evaluate the growth pat terns of the craniofacial complex through axial computed tomography (C T). Fifteen measurements were taken from 542 CT scan series of skeleta lly normal subjects. The measurement values were then divided into 1-y ear age categories from 1 to 17 years, and into four age groups for th ose under 1 year of age. The normal range and growth pattern of measur ement values for the cranial vault, orbital region, and upper midface are presented. The overall size of the cranio-orbito-zygomatic skeleto n reaches more than 85 percent of adult size by age 5 years. The crani al vault grows rapidly in the first year of life but growth levels off early. The upper midface grows at a slower rate in infancy, but conti nues to grow later in childhood and early adolescence. Knowledge of th e differential growth patterns and normal measurement values in the cr aniofacial region will help improve diagnostic accuracy, staging of re construction, precision of corrective surgery, and follow-up of patien ts.