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The prenatal human cranium‐normal and pathologic development. By I. Kjær, J.W. Keeling, and B. Fischer‐Hansen

The prenatal human cranium‐normal and pathologic development. By I. Kjær, J.W. Keeling, and B.... <h5>THE PRENATAL HUMAN CRANIUM‐NORMAL AND PATHOLOGIC DEVELOPMENT</h5> A decade of cooperative research and publications by the three authors has been compiled into this slim paper‐bound volume of 18 chapters contained within 174 pages and boasting no fewer than 156 figures, many of them in color. The Foreword has been eloquently contributed by John W. Opitz, whose historically encompassing majestic prose and predisposition to the concept of “developmental fields” introduces the main theme of this book as a novel accouplement of brain and bone, termed neuro‐osteology. This theme of developmental interrelationships between neural and osseous tissues in the central body axis was first introduced by Inger Kjær in her doctor of medicine thesis presented to the University of Copenhagen on February 9, 1999, compiled from 33 published articles [Kjær, 1998 ]. The book encompasses a great number of the concepts and diagrams published in these dispersed articles, but is here organised into a primer on the embryology and pathology of the fetal neurocranium. The book is divided into two parts, presenting first normal development, and thereafter, pathological maldevelopment. The description of normal embryology is discursive, and presupposes a good deal of background knowledge, with much detail omitted. The order of the topics discussed in each chapter is somewhat unusual, being based presumably on ossification sequences, starting with the mandible and working rostrally through the maxilla, teeth, nasal cavity, cranial base, endocrine glands and finishing at the vertex with the peculiarly termed “theca cranium.” This strange terminology for the desmocranium—unrecognised in medical dictionaries—unnecessarily complicates understanding of the diverse origins of the neurocranium. Regrettably, some fundamentals of current embryological descriptions are incorrectly cited. The use of the terms “fetal weeks” and “gestational age” for describing the age of the embryo/fetus, especially with current extra‐uterine in vitro fertilization technology, has outlived its accuracy, and should be identified as the fertilization or post‐conception age. Moreover, a 14 mm crown‐rump length conceptus, not yet 7 weeks old is not yet a “fetus” (Fig. 1–9), but is classically described as an embryo, with initial ossification at 8 weeks (and not 10 weeks; p. 37 and 77) being the criterion of transitional classification. Palatal fusion occurs earlier than the proclaimed “12th fetal week” (p. 40–44), and regrettably, the malleus and incus are not “bones in the inner ear” (p. 23). These carping criticisms aside, this book contains much novel and superbly illustrated material on neuro‐osteological morphogenesis from an impressive sample size of some 251 specimens. The pioneering portrayal of fetal radiology is revelatory in both normal and pathological specimens, and is becoming of increasing relevance with intrauterine ultrasound diagnosis of development and clinical morphology. The omission of references to the genes responsible for early development of the neuroaxis is unfortunate. Current concepts of development and syndromes arising from maldevelopment require identification of chordin and noggin that induce neural tissue and are critical for skeletal development [Brunet et al., 1998 ; McMahon et al., 1998 ]. Therein lies the key to understanding the field concept of malformations described in this book. One might also have expected more extensive coverage of craniosynostosis and hydrocephalus in a book of this title, topics that are almost completely overlooked. As an atlas of early basicranial development, this book serves as an admirable companion to the now out of print “Symposium on Development of the Basicranium” [Bosma, 1976 ]. Its high quality color figures and diagrams make it an indispensable reference for craniofacial embryologists, syndromologists and neonatal pathologists at a very reasonable price. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png American Journal of Medical Genetics Wiley

The prenatal human cranium‐normal and pathologic development. By I. Kjær, J.W. Keeling, and B. Fischer‐Hansen

Sperber, G.H.
American Journal of Medical Genetics , Volume 94 (4) – Oct 2, 2000
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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN
1552-4868
eISSN
1552-4833
DOI
10.1002/1096-8628(20001002)94:4<344::AID-AJMG16>3.3.CO;2-#
Publisher site
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Abstract

<h5>THE PRENATAL HUMAN CRANIUM‐NORMAL AND PATHOLOGIC DEVELOPMENT</h5> A decade of cooperative research and publications by the three authors has been compiled into this slim paper‐bound volume of 18 chapters contained within 174 pages and boasting no fewer than 156 figures, many of them in color. The Foreword has been eloquently contributed by John W. Opitz, whose historically encompassing majestic prose and predisposition to the concept of “developmental fields” introduces the main theme of this book as a novel accouplement of brain and bone, termed neuro‐osteology. This theme of developmental interrelationships between neural and osseous tissues in the central body axis was first introduced by Inger Kjær in her doctor of medicine thesis presented to the University of Copenhagen on February 9, 1999, compiled from 33 published articles [Kjær, 1998 ]. The book encompasses a great number of the concepts and diagrams published in these dispersed articles, but is here organised into a primer on the embryology and pathology of the fetal neurocranium. The book is divided into two parts, presenting first normal development, and thereafter, pathological maldevelopment. The description of normal embryology is discursive, and presupposes a good deal of background knowledge, with much detail omitted. The order of the topics discussed in each chapter is somewhat unusual, being based presumably on ossification sequences, starting with the mandible and working rostrally through the maxilla, teeth, nasal cavity, cranial base, endocrine glands and finishing at the vertex with the peculiarly termed “theca cranium.” This strange terminology for the desmocranium—unrecognised in medical dictionaries—unnecessarily complicates understanding of the diverse origins of the neurocranium. Regrettably, some fundamentals of current embryological descriptions are incorrectly cited. The use of the terms “fetal weeks” and “gestational age” for describing the age of the embryo/fetus, especially with current extra‐uterine in vitro fertilization technology, has outlived its accuracy, and should be identified as the fertilization or post‐conception age. Moreover, a 14 mm crown‐rump length conceptus, not yet 7 weeks old is not yet a “fetus” (Fig. 1–9), but is classically described as an embryo, with initial ossification at 8 weeks (and not 10 weeks; p. 37 and 77) being the criterion of transitional classification. Palatal fusion occurs earlier than the proclaimed “12th fetal week” (p. 40–44), and regrettably, the malleus and incus are not “bones in the inner ear” (p. 23). These carping criticisms aside, this book contains much novel and superbly illustrated material on neuro‐osteological morphogenesis from an impressive sample size of some 251 specimens. The pioneering portrayal of fetal radiology is revelatory in both normal and pathological specimens, and is becoming of increasing relevance with intrauterine ultrasound diagnosis of development and clinical morphology. The omission of references to the genes responsible for early development of the neuroaxis is unfortunate. Current concepts of development and syndromes arising from maldevelopment require identification of chordin and noggin that induce neural tissue and are critical for skeletal development [Brunet et al., 1998 ; McMahon et al., 1998 ]. Therein lies the key to understanding the field concept of malformations described in this book. One might also have expected more extensive coverage of craniosynostosis and hydrocephalus in a book of this title, topics that are almost completely overlooked. As an atlas of early basicranial development, this book serves as an admirable companion to the now out of print “Symposium on Development of the Basicranium” [Bosma, 1976 ]. Its high quality color figures and diagrams make it an indispensable reference for craniofacial embryologists, syndromologists and neonatal pathologists at a very reasonable price.

Journal

American Journal of Medical Genetics – Wiley

Published: Oct 2, 2000

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