Elements of morphology: introduction

Abstract

An international group of clinicians working in the field of dysmorphology has initiated the standardization of terms used to describe human morphology. The goals are to standardize these terms and reach consensus regarding their definitions. In this way, we will increase the utility of descriptions of the human phenotype and facilitate reliable comparisons of findings among patients. Discussions with other workers in dysmorphology and related fields, such as developmental biology and molecular genetics, will become more precise. Here we describe the general background of the project and the various issues we have tried to take into account in defining the terms.

Figure 1

Nomenclature group members present in November 2006 in Rome (Suzanne Cassidy was also present but could not be depicted on this picture). From left to the right are visible (first row) Helga Toriello, Cynthia Curry, Julie McGaughran, M Michael Cohen Jr, Louise Wilson, John Carey, Fiorella Gurrieri, Valerie Cormier-Daire, (second row) Jaime Frias, Giovanni Neri, Judith Allanson, Judith Hall, Karen Temple, Alain Verloes, (third row) Michael Patton, Alasdair Hunter, Gene Hoyme, Helen Hughes, John M Graham Jr, (fourth row) Roger Stevenson, Leslie Biesecker, Koen Devriendt, Bryan Hall, and Raoul Hennekam.