USE OF SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY IN THE EVALUATION OF CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS

The cause of craniosynostosis continues to elude researchers. Although several studies have leaked at the ultrastructure of normal suture cl osure, no previous studies have examined the microarchitecture of the synostotic suture. Our goal was to assess the scanning electron micros cope (SEM) as a viable and useful tool in examining craniosynostosis. Our hypothesis is that the SEM is a powerful analytical tool that can evaluate nonsynostotic, partial synostotic, and complete synostotic cr anial sutures. We analyzed the cranial suture of 3 human infants with nonsyndromic sagittal cranio synostosis. The specimens were separated into three groups, which included regions of partial and complete syno stosis and a region oi: open suture. Histological examination provided cellular and tissue data about craniosynostosis, whereas the SEM prov ided detailed information regarding the trabecular microarchitecture o f the synostosed suture. The SEM produced quality images of complete a nd partially synostotic sutures and open sutures, At low magnification , the SEM characterized the general bony microarchitecture of cranial sutures in a manner different from, but complementary to, standard his tological, sections. At higher magnification, the SEM allowed us a loo k at the cellular population of craniosynostotic sutures in a way that surpasses standard light microscopy. The SEM is an excellent tool for the study of craniosynostosis and has proved invaluable in our abilit y to evaluate the microarchitecture and cellular population of the fus ing suture, We believe we have proven our hypothesis by demonstrating the SEM to be a powerful analytical tool that can evaluate nonsynostot ic, partial synostotic, and complete synostotic cranial sutures.