Quantitative Assessment of Facial Asymmetry Using Three-Dimensional Surface Imaging in Adults: Validating the Precision and Repeatability of a Global Approach. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kornreich, Davida; Mitchell, Adele A.; Webb, Bryn D.; Cristian, Ingrid; Jabs, Ethylin Wang
• Is Part Of: Cleft palate-craniofacial journal. Volume 53:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 126
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: 3dMD -- facial asymmetry -- facial landmarks -- hemifacial microsomia -- oculoauriculovertebral spectrum -- three-dimensional photogrammetry -- root mean square; Cleft palate -- Periodicals; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Periodicals; Cranial manipulation -- Periodicals; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Face -- Abnormalities -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Fente palatine -- Périodiques; Crâne -- Malformations -- Périodiques; Manipulation crânienne -- Périodiques; Crâne -- Malformations -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Face -- Malformations -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Cleft palate; Cranial manipulation; Face -- Abnormalities -- Surgery; Skull -- Abnormalities; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Surgery; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Facial Bones -- abnormalities; Skull -- abnormalities; Periodicals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.522
• DOI: 10.1597/13-353
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1055-6656

Abstract

Objective: Comparison of global versus landmark analyses of facial asymmetry using three-dimensional photogrammetry to establish a precise method for evaluating facial asymmetry. Design: The landmark-based approach utilized anthropometric data points. Our global approach involved registration of mirror images, independent of a midplane, to calculate a root mean square (RMS) value. We analyzed precision and technical and operator error of both methods. Participants: Three hundred fifty adults participated in this study. Results: We found that the global method has better precision and repeatability with a significantly lower error rate than the landmark-based method. In adults, the average RMS was 0.6253 mm with a standard deviation of 0.16. Conclusions: Our facial asymmetry measurement is more accurate than landmark-based measurements. This method is quick, reliable, and results in generation of a RMS score and a corresponding color-coded facial map that highlights regions of higher and lower asymmetry. This method may be used as a screening tool for asymmetry in both the clinical and research settings.