M. Mallar Chakravarty1,2, Rosanne Aleong3,
Gabriel Leonard4, Michel Peron5, G. Bruce Pike4,
Louis Richer6, Suzanne Veillet5, Zdenka Pausova7,
Tomas Paus3,7
1Rotman Research Institute,
Baycrest , Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 2Mouse Imaging Centre, The
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3Rotman
Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 4Montral
Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 5CGEP
de Jonquire, Jonquire, Quebec, Canada; 6Dpartement des sciences
de l'ducation et de psychologie, Universit du Qubec Chicoutimi,
Chicoutimi, Qubec, Canada; 7School of Psychology, University of
Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Quantitative analysis of craniofacial morphology is of interest to scholars working in a wide variety of disciplines, such as anthropology, developmental biology, and medicine. T1-weighted (anatomical) magnetic resonance images (MRI) provide excellent contrast between soft tissues. Given its three-dimensional nature, MRI represents an ideal imaging modality for the analysis of craniofacial structure in living individuals. Here we describe how T1-weighted MR images, acquired to examine brain anatomy, can also be used to analyze facial features. Using a sample of typically developing adolescents from the Saguenay Youth Study (N = 597; 292 male, 305 female, ages: 12 to 18 years), we quantified inter-individual variations in craniofacial structure using voxel-based analysis and the decomposition of craniofacial features using landmark based techniques. The results demonstrate the sexual dimorphism of the human face.