Head Circumference App - clinical application and functionality
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Clinical application and functionality for an application for measurement of Head Circumference in neonates and children
IRAS ID
298497
Contact name
Ibrahim Jalloh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
An accurate head circumference (HC) measurement is essential when clinically evaluating a neonate or infant. HC is measured from the widest circumference of the head with a tape measure. Typically, this is performed by health care workers, but caregivers can be taught to take measurements reliably. With the increasing use of virtual clinics as a substitute to face-to-face appointments, caregiver measurement of HC is increasingly used to help guide clinical management.
The aim of this study is to devise and validate a mobile app utilising modern smartphone camera technology to allow parents and caregivers to reliably measure infant HC.
We have developed a smart phone app using a Grab-Cut Algorithm to calculate HC using the smartphone camera. The app includes text and data field inputs for demographic data. Each HC measurement is compared with UK-WHO Growth Chart age-matched data to generate a percentile valve. Data (HC, demographic data, percentile) is saved to memory or exported as a spreadsheet. The app has been validated using models of the neonate and infant head.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EE/0109
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion