Photos courtesy of Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
eu (eurion): the most lateral point on the head
ex (exocanthion): the outer corner of the eye fissure where the eyelids meet
ft (frontotemporale): the most medial point on the temporal crest, identified by palpation
fz (frontozygomaticus): the most lateral point on the frontozygomatic suture
g (glabella): the most prominent point in the median sagittal plane between the supraorbital ridges
gn (gnathion): in the midline, the lowest point on the lower border of the chin
obi (otobasion inferius): the lowest point of attachment of the exteral ear to the head
obs (otobasion superius): the highest point of attachment of the exteral ear to the head
op (opisthocranion): the most prominent posterior point on the occiput
po (porion): the most superior point on the upper margin of the external auditory meatus with the head in the Frankfort horizontal plane
n (nasion): the midpoint of the nasofrontal suture
sn (subnasale): in the midline, the junction between the lower border of the nasal septum and the cutaneous portion of the upper lip
t (tragion): at the notch above the tragus of the ear where the upper edge of the cartilage disappears into the skin of the face
tr (trichion): the midpoint of the hairline
v (vertex): the highest point on the head with the head in the Frankfort horizontal plane
zy (zygion): the most lateral point on the zygomatic arch
- Farkas, LG and Munro, IR (1987) Anthropometric Facial Proportions in Medicine. Charles C Thomas: Springfield, 344 pp.
- Kolar, JC and Salter, EM (1997) Craniofacial Anthropometry. Practical measurement of the head and face for clinical, surgical and research use. Charles C Thomas: Springfield, 334 pp.
Abstract
Craniofacial anthropometry has become an important tool used by both clinical geneticists and reconstructive surgeons. Yet little attention has been paid to the potentially serious problem of measurement error. This paper examines intra-observer measurement error and precision (also called repeatability or reliability) for 52 commonly used anthropometric variables of the head and face. Two factors proved critical to reliability: magnitude of the measurement in question and the degree to which its constituant landmarks could be readily identified. Thus, all of the measurement variables with means above 10 cm proved to have good or excellent reliability. In contrast measurement variables with means below 10 cm were more likely to have poor reliability. This trend was especially evident in variables with means of 6 cm or less where 18 of the 20 variables in this range had poor reliability. The least reliable variables were those like philtrum breadth, columella breadth, and nasal root breadth that combine small magnitude with difficult to define landmarks. While these results suggest that it may be prudent to avoid using craniofacial variables with small dimensions this may be neither practical nor desirable. In such cases repeat measurements may be the best means for optimizing reliability.
Ward RE, Jamison PL 1991. Measurement precision and reliability in craniofacial anthropometry: implications and suggestions for clinical applications. J Craniofac Genet Dev Biol;Jul-Sep;11(3):156-164.
