Author Spotlight: Three-Dimensional Cephalometric Landmark Annotation Demonstration on Human Cone Beam Computed Tomography Scans

The aim of this project is to provide a detailed methodology for the conduction of 3D cephalometric analysis with the use of a validated set of 3D skeletal landmarks. These landmarks cover the areas of the cranial base, face maxilla and mandible, and can be used in clinical as well as research studies. There is a learning curve for those who annotate the landmarks for the first time on the 3D volume, and a lot of practice is strongly recommended to acquire more experience and consistency before applying these landmarks on clinical and research studies.

The 3D cephalometric analysis offers more accurate measures in comparison to 2D cephalometric analysis. Because of the distortion and magnification of the anatomical structures in conventional x-ray films and 2D digital formats, 2D cephalometric analysis can lead to in accurate tracings and interpretations. Moreover, the coordinates of the 3D landmarks can be exported and used for the conduction of geometric-morphometric analysis to study shape.

The use of the 3D landmark data analysis can be part of an in-depth quantitative phenotypic approach in the case of craniofacial deformities. In addition, the integration of morphometric analysis with functional analysis and genetic information will provide new knowledge in the case of craniofacial development in healthy as well as disease cohorts.