title: Spectrum of positional deformities - is there a real difference between plagiocephaly and brachycephaly?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study analyses pathomorphological and physiological head shapes and classifies the pathomorphology in positional plagiocephaly and brachycephaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  78 infants with a positional plagiocephaly (5.99 months) and 32 infants with a positional brachycephaly (6.53 months) with a Cephalic index > 94% were investigated in this study and compared to a matched control group of 35 infants. The head shapes were analysed by stereophotogrammetry 3D data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cephalic index, the total width, and coronal circumference were the highest values in patients with brachycephaly and the lowest values in the control group. The asymmetry of the head showed that the diagonal difference in brachycephalic patients more than doubled, and in patients with plagiocephaly almost tripled compared to the controls. A significantly higher total volume and vertex height was found for the patients with plagiocephaly and the patients with brachycephaly compared to the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cephalic index is a valuable and reliable parameter in order to differentiate positional deformities from unaffected skulls. Pathomorphology of a plagiocephaly is associated with the most severe asymmetry of the head. Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly overlap in several criteria. Therefore it seems justified to speak of a continuum rather than to differentiate between plagiocephaly and brachycephaly.
authors: Department of Orthodontics (Head: Prof. Dr. A. Stellzig-Eisenhauer), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany. Electronic address: Meyer_P1@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de.
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Meyer-Marcotty
authors: Department of Maxillo-Facial- and Plastic-Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. A. Kübler), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Hartmut
authors: H
authors: Böhm
authors: Department of Maxillo-Facial- and Plastic-Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. A. Kübler), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Linz
authors: Department of Orthodontics (Head: Prof. Dr. A. Stellzig-Eisenhauer), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Janka
authors: J
authors: Kochel
authors: High Tech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F.Zeilhofer), Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Blecher
authors: Department of Orthodontics (Head: Prof. Dr. A. Stellzig-Eisenhauer), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Keil
authors: Department of Orthodontics (Head: Prof. Dr. A. Stellzig-Eisenhauer), Dental Clinic of the Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Angelika
authors: A
authors: Stellzig-Eisenhauer
authors: Department of Neurosurgery and Paediatric Neurosurgery (Head: Prof. Dr. I. Ernestus), Medical Faculty, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors: Tilmann
authors: T
authors: Schweitzer
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000473:pathology; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000379:methods; D049068:Plagiocephaly, Nonsynostotic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: 3D; Brachycephaly; Cephalic index; Plagiocephaly