Analysis of skull anthropometric measurements in patients with neurofibromatosis type-1.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The authors studied selected anthropometric measurements of plain postero-anterior and lateral skull roentgenograms to ascertain whether these were useful in distinguishing patients with clinically probable neurofibromatosis type-1 from controls.

METHODS

A retrospective review of medical records of patients for whom skull roentgenograms were available was conducted. Patients were assigned to one of three groups: definite neurofibromatosis type-1 (DNF), probable neurofibromatosis type-1 (PNF), and controls. A blinded analysis of 29 measurements, 9 qualitative assessments, and 3 area/volume calculations was performed.

RESULTS

There were 58 patients (29 controls, 14 DNF, and 15 PNF). The majority (75%) of all predetermined landmarks could be ascertained in 43 of these subjects. After age and gender were held constant, analysis of covariance showed that both DNF and PNF subjects could be distinguished from controls, but not from each other when comparing the mean: sella turcica height (P < .001), sella turcica depth (P < .005), skull width (P < .001), skull length (P < .002), skull height (P < .003), and skull volume (P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Anthropometric analysis of skull roentgenograms coupled with results of clinical examination improves the ability to distinguish between patients with DNF and PNF from controls.