Patients in whom craniosynostosis is suggested should undergo a careful clinical examination, with the clinician looking for abnormalities of the skull and extremities.
Plain radiography quickly and simply identifies skull-shape abnormalities, which are seen in most patients with craniosynostosis.
Cranial sutures “may” be surveyed for patency.
***This step may be able to identify a synostosis but is also not a reliable tool in ruling out a synostosis.
The entire length of each suture is not always visible on plain radiographs, and some patients have only a small bony bar limiting growth at a particular suture.