SCAPHOCEPHALY / DOLICOCEPHALY (boat or canoe head)

• Premature closure of sagittal suture.
• The sagittal suture permits growth in the width of the skull; premature closure results in a cranium that is high, long, and narrow (dolichocephaly).
• The calvarium is elongated in the antero-posterior (A-P) direction.
• Biparietal diameter of the head is reduced and fronto-occipital diameter is increased in a plane parallel to the sagittal suture.
• In contrast to other synostosis, sagittal synostosis causes little deformity to the face. The sphenoid wings and orbits are not affected.
• Accounts for approximately 50% of all cases of synostosis.
• Usually isolated with no syndromic associations.

CT scan at 1 week of age with 3D reconstruction
Scaphocephaly due to synostosis of the Sagittal suture. Note early synostosis of the lambdoid and inferior coronal suture.