Changing Heads, Changing Faces (Version 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Changing Heads, Changing Faces: Using clinical imaging data to assess craniofacial anatomical change
IRAS ID
144832
Contact name
David Dunaway
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Turst
Duration of Study in the UK
20 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Craniofacial research projects carried out by various surgical specialties in GOSH have the overall aim of evaluating outcomes of surgery to improve surgical technique, devices and knowledge of craniofacial conditions. 'Craniofacial' is defined as the head, skull and face (bone and soft tissue both inside and overlying the skull). Outcomes of craniofacial surgery involve subjective evaluation of head and facial form in order to guide planning for reconstructive surgery. We aim to provide objective methods of measuring outcome by comparing changes in head and face shape before and after surgery, and comparing head and face shape differences between ‘normal, healthy volunteers’ and craniofacial patients.
We will need to collect head and facial image data from ‘normal, healthy volunteers’ with a 3D camera, and acquire all types of craniofacial patient data obtained as part of routine clinical practice. We will also require routine clinical image data capturing craniofacial features from patients in ‘other specialties’ (listed in A6-2). Images will be landmarked with a set of 3D points and mathematical models of shape change from craniofacial disease and surgery will be created. A predicted outcome for surgery can then be generated to aid surgical planning for the individual patient.
Craniofacial treatment spans childhood and teenage years needing multiple investigations and interventions. They start with comprehensive craniofacial or cleft assessments comprising of blood tests, genetic studies, CT and MRI scans, 2- and 3-D photographs, and functional studies of the face (ie. vision, hearing, speech and swallow studies) resulting in a wealth of clinical data collected as part of routine care that could be made available for research to the direct care teams. Access to this data from start to completion of treatment provides valuable resources for evaluating and predicting surgical and functional outcomes for all types of craniofacial surgery in growing children.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0386
Date of REC Opinion
6 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion