[Multivariate analysis for the study of craniofacial structure. Selection of parameters on using the principal component analysis].

The present study was undertaken to discuss the effects of parameters on using the principal component analysis for the evaluation of the craniofacial structures. Materials consisted of lateral roentgenocephalograms of 100 adult Japanese females. They were divided into three groups by ANB angle. Linear and angular measurements were selected as parameters to apply the principal component analysis, and scattergrams made by the first and second principal component were compared. The results of the analysis were varied by the parameters. Especially there was a great difference between the real size and the value corrected by isometric method on scattergrams made by the first and second components. Results indicated the importance of using appropriate parameters for the research purpose.