title: Dolichocephaly without sagittal craniosynostosis.
abstract: Premature closure of the sagittal suture is thought to be fundamental to the etiopathology for the disease process called sagittal craniosynostosis. This process traditionally results in a well-known skull malformation termed dolichocephaly. Over recent decades, some authors have questioned the suture as the primary driving force for this pathology. This is a retrospective cases series of 4 patients from 2011 to 2012 who presented to the Yale Craniofacial Clinic for evaluation of dolichocephaly. The 4 children, 3 boys and 1 girl, had physical examinations and cranial indices concerning for sagittal craniosynostosis; however, subsequent computed tomographic imaging revealed sagittal suture patency. This series adds to a growing body of literature, which describes abnormal head shapes not attributable to overt suture pathology.
authors.affiliation: From the *Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and †Department of Neurological Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Beckett
authors.forename: Miles Jackson
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diluna
authors.forename: Derek M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Steinbacher
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed