title: Three-dimensional facial anthropometry of unilateral cleft lip infants with a structured light scanning system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cleft lip in the presence or absence of a cleft palate is a major public health problem. However, few studies have been published concerning the soft-tissue morphology of cleft lip infants. Currently, obtaining reliable three-dimensional (3D) surface models of infants remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate a new way of capturing 3D images of cleft lip infants using a structured light scanning system. In addition, the accuracy and precision of the acquired facial 3D data were validated and compared with direct measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten unilateral cleft lip patients were enrolled in the study. Briefly, 3D facial images of the patients were acquired using a 3D scanner device before and after the surgery. Fourteen items were measured by direct anthropometry and 3D image software. The accuracy and precision of the 3D system were assessed by comparative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anthropometric data obtained using the 3D method were in agreement with the direct anthropometry measurements. All data calculated by the software were 'highly reliable' or 'reliable', as defined in the literature. The localisation of four landmarks was not consistent in repeated experiments of inter-observer reliability in preoperative images (P<0.05), while the intra-observer reliability in both pre- and postoperative images was good (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The structured light scanning system is proven to be a non-invasive, accurate and precise method in cleft lip anthropometry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guofeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanpu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Accuracy and precision; Anthropometry; Cleft lip; Infant; Three-dimensional facial imaging