Bathrocephaly

Case contributed by Craig Hacking
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Occipital protuberance from birth. Term baby. Neurologically normal.

Patient Data

Age: 2 days
Gender: Male
x-ray

The lateral view shows a posterior occipital protuberance located inferior to the lambdoid suture in keeping with bathrocephaly. There is an associated mendosal suture.

Case Discussion

The majority close before 6 years of age and delayed closure is associated with bathrocephaly (convex bulge of occipital bone).

Bathrocephaly is a normal variation in skull shape where there is a posterior convex bulge of midportion of the occipital bone (between the lambdoid to the mendosal suture). It is often associated with a persistent mendosal suture.

Importantly, bathrocephaly:

  • is of no clinical significance

  • is not associated with craniosynostosis

  • typically resolves with skull remodeling

  • can persist in adults

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