Broad philtrum

What it means

Distance between the philtral ridges, measured just above the vermilion border, more than 2 standard deviations above the mean, or alternatively, an apparently increased distance between the ridges of the philtrum.

The mean width of the philtrum was found to be 7 mm in infants by Franz and Sokol [1971] and 9.7 mm in adults by Ward and Jamison [1991]. Measuring width of the philtrum is even more inaccurate than measuring length (vide supra). A broad philtrum may be associated with reduced ridge prominence or a shallow groove, a Smooth philtrum, which should be assessed and coded separately. It may be found with a broad nasal septum.

Rare diseases that can present with this16

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Increased breadth of philtrum · Increased horizontal dimension of philtrum · Increased transverse dimension of philtrum · Increased width of philtrum · Wide philtrum