A Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Analysis of Craniofacial Asymmetry in Malaysian Infants with Cleft Lip and Palate
- Author:
Nikki Tziavaras
;
Suzanna Mihailidis
;
Zainul Rajion
;
Asilah Yusof
;
Peter John Anderson
;
Grant Townsend
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
cleft lip, cleft palate, facial asymmetry, infant, radiology, three-dimensional imaging, tomography
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
2010;17(4):25-35
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: The application of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) to analyse
craniofacial morphology in individuals with cleft lip and palate (CLP) enables detailed assessments
to be made of asymmetry in the region of the cleft and in regions distant from the cleft. The aim of
this study was to compare craniofacial morphology in a sample of Malaysian infants with unoperated
CLP with a control sample of unaffected Malaysian infants.
Methods: The study sample comprised 29 individuals: 10 with unilateral CLP (UCLP), 5 with
bilateral CLP (BCLP), 7 with cleft lip and primary palate (CLPP), and 7 with isolated cleft palate
(ICP). The control sample consisted of 12 non-cleft (NC) infants. All subjects were between 0.4 and
12.2 months of age. Nine mid-facial and 4 nasal bone landmarks were located on 3D CT scans and
compared to a midline reference plane, which was created using the landmarks basion, sella, and
nasion. Unpaired t tests and F tests were used to compare means and variances between sample
groups, whereas paired t tests were used for comparisons within the UCLP and NC groups.
Results: Differences in variances of some mid-facial breadths and nasal bone dimensions
were found in both male and female cleft groups when compared to the NC sample. In the UCLP
group, some nasal bone and facial breadth dimensions were larger than in the NC sample and the nasal bone tended to deviate to the contralateral side of the cleft.
Conclusion: : CLP affects the size and orientation of the nasal bones and is associated with an
altered morphology of some facial bones at positions distant from the region of the cleft.
- Full text:W020151022507842535567.pdf
