title: The persistence of an open anterior fontanel in a 4-year-old girl.
abstract: METHODS
  A 3-year-old girl was transferred to our hospital with a history of persistent open anterior fontanel. The patient was conscious and had no neurological deficits. Upon arrival, the patient appeared normal for her age and had no defects or anomalies other than the aforementioned lesion. The initial skull X-ray and CT were significant for a 20-mm open anterior fontanel. All other findings were normal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a follow-up period of 1.5 years, the anterior fontanel was still open, with a slight decrease in size to 15 mm. Delayed closure of the anterior fontanel without intracranial hypertension is associated with various disorders. The pathogenesis of the current patient's condition is unclear. Due to the patient's normal appearance and stable neurological status, we will follow her conservatively for any changes in condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan. muzura@marianna-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzura
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sekino
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010808:Physical Examination; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods