[Cervical vertebral bone age during puberty].
OBJECTIVE
To explore a method for objectively and accurately evaluating cervical vertebral bone age among Chinese growing subjects.


METHODS
Using cephalometric and hand-wrist radiographs of 90 boys and 90 girls who were during pubertal period, we measured the third and fourth cervical vertebral bodies and calculated hand bone age using Liaokawa's method. A formula for calculating cervical vertebral bone age was determined by stepwise multiple regression analysis.


RESULTS
A method for objectively evaluating cervical vertebral bone age among Chinese growing subjects during pubertal period was established. Y (Y: cervical vertebral bone age) = -20.189 + 24.666X(1) (X(1): AH(4)/AP) +46.468X(2) (X(2): AH(3)/AP(3)) +39.854X(3) (X(3): AH(4)/H) (r = 0.901). The R square of the equation was 0.81. The mean and standard deviation were as follows: constant = -20.19 +/- 4.89 (t = -4.13, P < 0.01), AH(4)/AP(4) = 24.67 +/- 8.32 (t = 2.97, P < 0.01), AH(3)/AP(3) = 46.47 +/- 6.60 (t = 7.04, P < 0.01), AH(4)/H(4) = 39.85 +/- 7.04 (t = 5.66, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
This method could be used to evaluate Chinese growth stages objectively.
Su
Li
L
Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Stomatology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.
Lü
Ying
Y
Wang
Hong-mei
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014953:Wrist / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*