sutural diastasis

Sutural diastasis is an abnormal widening of the skull sutures. It may be physiological in a neonate during a growth spurt.

Pathology

In non-traumatic scenarios accelerated growth of the sutural connective tissue without concurrent ossification is the underlying pathology.

Etiology

• traumatic
• raised intracranial pressure, e.g. intracerebral tumor, hydrocephalus or subdural collection
• infiltration of the sutures, e.g. leukemia, lymphoma or neuroblastoma
• metabolic, e.g. hypoparathyroidism, rickets or hypophosphatasia

Radiographic features

• widening of the sutures may be appreciated on plain radiograph and is better still appreciated on CT
• the following widths are considered to be diagnostic of sutural diastasis
  • >10 mm at birth
  • >3 mm at two years
  • >2 mm at three years
• in cases of trauma, it may be associated with fractures
• in cases of mass lesions or elevated intracranial pressure, secondary evidence of the same would be demonstrated

See also

• elevated intracranial pressure
• craniosynostosis

Siehe auch:

• Hirndruck