3D Face Scans Spot Gene Syndromes

3D face scans are set to speed up the diagnosis of rare genetic conditions in children, UK scientists say. More than 700 genetic syndromes affect facial traits, but some are difficult to spot because few cases exist.

Now new software that compares an individual’s face with a bank of 3D images of people with known conditions is aiding diagnosis. The technology, presented at the BA Festival of Science in York, had a 90% success rate, the scientists said.

Peter Hammond, a computer scientist at the UCL Institute for Child Health in London who carried out the research, explained: "There are many conditions where the face can have unusual features arising from alterations in the genes."

BBC