Sagittal Synostosis vs. Cloverleaf Skull

Left picture: The diagnosis is a sagittal synostosis. The decreased growth of the skull breadth leads to a discrepancy of a small frontal region in comparison to a normally broad face. Right picture: The diagnosis is a closure of multiple sutures, combined with anomalies of the facial bone, a so-called craniofacial dysostosis. The synostosis of the sagittal, coronal and lambdoid sutures allows an unrestricted growth only at the level of the temporal fossa; therefore, a typical clover-leaf deformity of the skull results, which is a special type of multiple suture closure.

Looking from the front a striking skull which is converging to a point is obvious in this infant as well as in the neonate; in both pathologies the skull is narrow in comparison to the face. Left picture: In this infant the face is inconspiciuos, and the intraocular distance normal. Right picture: This newborn has low set auricles, a bilateral temporal bossing above the ears, and a bilateral exophthalmos.