Accuracy of skeletal age assessment in children from birth to 6 years of age with the ultrasonographic version of the Greulich-Pyle atlas.
OBJECTIVE
For the evaluation of skeletal age, the methods of Greulich-Pyle and Tanner-Whitehouse are generally used in clinical practice. Our investigation was undertaken to determine whether the ultrasonographic version of the Greulich-Pyle atlas is capable of assessing skeletal age. If so, we aimed to describe the standards for the ultrasonographic version of the Greulich-Pyle atlas for each year during the first 6 years of life.


METHODS
Ninety-seven subjects underwent left hand and wrist radiography and ultrasonographic examination for bone age assessment during a 1.5-year study. Estimated bone ages derived from the plain radiography and "hand and wrist ultrasonography charts" interpreted by use of the Greulich-Pyle atlas were compared statistically.


RESULTS
The estimated bone ages from plain radiography and hand and wrist ultrasonography charts interpreted by use of the Greulich-Pyle atlas were significantly correlated; 71.1% of male patients had the same age in both methods, and in 84.4% of patients, the difference was less than 6 months. In 65.5% of female patients, both methods revealed the same age, and in 88.5% of them, the difference was less then 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The ultrasonographic version of the Greulich-Pyle atlas can be used to estimate bone age even in ultrasonography departments. This method is highly correlated and a valid alternative to plain radiography for bone age estimation. This enables estimation of skeletal age in ultrasonography departments easily without exposing the patient to radiation.
Bilgili
Yasemin
Y
Department of Radiology, Kirikkale University School of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel Hospital, Kirikkale, Turkey. mykaradeniz@hotmail.com
Hizel
Selda
S
Kara
Simay Altan
SA
Sanli
Cihat
C
Erdal
Haydar Hüseyin
HH
Altinok
Deniz
D
D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014953:Wrist / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*