title: A new ultrasound method for assessment of head shape change in infants with plagiocephaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare a new ultrasound measurement method with calliper cephalometry in infants with deformational plagiocephaly (DP) and to assess the differences of two methods according to the severity of DP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two infants with DP were divided into two groups according to the degree of cranial vault asymmetry (CVA); group 1 included 42 infants with CVA over 10 mm, and group 2 included 10 infants with CVA under 10 mm. Cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) and occipital angle ratio (OAR) were measured by using calliper and ultrasound measurements, respectively. The occipital angle was defined as the angle between the lines projected along the lambdoid sutures of the skull.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occipital angles of the affected sides were significantly greater than those of unaffected sides in both groups. The CVAI and OAR were significantly greater in group 1 than in group 2 (CVAI, 9.3%±2.3% vs. 4.6%±1.5%; OAR, 1.05±0.4 vs. 1.01±0.0; p<0.05). The OAR was positively correlated with the CVAI in all infants (r=0.789) and in group 1 (r=0.784; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that OAR using the new ultrasound measurement was positively correlated with the CVAI in infants with DP. Therefore, the occipital angle measurement using ultrasound combined with cephalometry could provide better understanding about the characteristics of the overall cranial bone and lambdoid suture complex in infants with DP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Kyung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Rak
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Gi-Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Cephalometry; Craniofacial abnormalities; Deformational; Plagiocephaly; Ultrasound