title: The diagnostic performance of chronologic age in the assessment of skeletal maturity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between chronologic age the and individual skeletal maturity as assessed by means of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method during the circumpubertal period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The evaluated sample of 600 subjects consisted of 100 subjects (50 males and 50 females) for each of 6 age groups, from 9 years through 14 years of age. Individual skeletal maturity for all subjects was determined by using the CVM method. The relationship between chronologic age and the most prevalent CVM stage at each age group was evaluated statistically by means of indicators of diagnostic test performance that specify the ability of a diagnostic test to identify a condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnostic performance of chronologic age for the detection of the onset of the adolescent peak in skeletal maturation was very low both in males and in females. In male subjects, the chronologic age of 9 years +/- 6 months presented with strong diagnostic power for the identification of a pre-pubertal stage in skeletal maturation. In female subjects, the chronologic age of 14 years +/- 6 months corresponded with a strong probability of a postpubertal stage in skeletal maturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In males, chronologic age can identify a pre-pubertal stage of skeletal development, and in females a post-pubertal stage. In both males and females, chronologic age cannot recognize the onset of the adolescent peak in skeletal maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, The University of Florence, Italy. t.baccetti@odonto.unifi.it
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baccetti
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Toffol
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ghiozzi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cozza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000367:Age Factors; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity