Effect of Head Position on Facial Soft Tissue Depth Measurements Obtained Using Computed Tomography1. Issue 1 (18th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caple, Jodi M.; Stephan, Carl N.; Gregory, Laura S.; MacGregor, Donna M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic sciences. Volume 61:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 147
• Page End: 152
• Publication Date: 2015-08-18
• Subjects: forensic science -- forensic anthropology -- craniofacial identification -- facial approximation -- facial reconstruction -- Frankfurt horizontal -- facial soft tissue thickness; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; 363.2505
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12896
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1198

Abstract

Abstract: Facial soft tissue depth (FSTD) studies employing clinical computed tomography (CT) data frequently rely on depth measurements from raw 2D orthoslices. However, the position of each patient's head was not standardized in this method, potentially decreasing measurement reliability and accuracy. This study measured FSTDs along the original orthoslice plane and compared these measurements to those standardized by the Frankfurt horizontal (FH). Subadult cranial CT scans ( n = 115) were used to measure FSTDs at 18 landmarks. Significant differences were observed between the methods at eight of these landmarks ( p < 0.05), demonstrating that high‐quality data are not generated simply by employing modern imaging modalities such as CT. Proper technique is crucial to useful results, and maintaining control over head position during FSTD data collection is important. This is easily and most readily achieved in CT techniques by rotating the head to the FH plane after constructing a 3D rendering of the data.