A three-dimensional computed tomographic analysis of the cervical spine in unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate anatomical variations and abnormalities of cervical spine morphology in unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate.


METHODS
Retrospective cross-sectional investigation of infants born with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate using computed tomography scans acquired for investigation of a spectrum of clinical conditions.


METHODS
Computed tomography scan data were obtained from 29 unoperated cleft lip and palate infants and 12 noncleft infants of Malay origin, ages 0 to 12 months.


METHODS
Observational study of cervical spine computed tomography scans. Heights of cervical vertebral bodies (C2-C7) and intervertebral spaces were measured from landmarks identified from computed tomography reformats and three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions. Linear modeling of heights and spaces, with age as a covariate, was undertaken to identify differences between the samples.


RESULTS
Anomalous features observed in the cleft lip and palate sample included short posterior arch of C1 (2/29), abnormal development of the anterior arch of C1 (2/29), and fusions of the posterior arch of C2 and C3 (2/29). No anomalies of the cervical spine were observed in the noncleft sample. Although the heights of three cervical vertebral bodies were significantly smaller and two intervertebral spaces were significantly larger in infants with cleft lip and palate compared with noncleft infants (p < .05), overall length of the cervical spine did not differ significantly between the samples.


CONCLUSIONS
There was evidence for subtle upper spinal anomalies in the infant cleft lip and palate population. Our finding of reduced size of some cervical vertebral bodies may reflect delayed upper spinal development in infants with cleft lip and palate.
Rajion
Zainul A
ZA
School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Townsend
Grant C
GC
Netherway
David J
DJ
Anderson
Peter J
PJ
Yusof
Asilah
A
Hughes
Toby
T
Shuaib
Ibrahim L
IL
Halim
Ahmad Sukari
AS
Samsudin
Abdul Rani
AR
David
David J
DJ
D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed