title: Age estimation in children by measurement of carpals and epiphyses of radius and ulna and open apices in teeth: a pilot study.
abstract: Estimation of skeletal age using radiographic images is widely used in assessing biological growth in clinical and auxological studies. The most frequently used areas for age estimation in children and adolescents are tooth and wrist/hand, both giving good results with only a low level of radiation. This pilot study of a sample of 150 Italian children and adolescents aged between 5 and 15 years focused on analyzing the possible applications of the proportion of carpal area (Ca) and teeth mineralization as a criterion of age estimation. The regression model, describing age as a linear function of gender (g), the ratio between carpal bones area and carpal area (Bo/Ca) and the measurement of open apices, yielded the following equation [Formula in text]. The model explained 93% of the total variance (R(2)=0.93), the median of the absolute values of residuals (observed age minus predicted age) was 0.465 years, with an inter-quartile range (IQR) equalling 0.529 years, and a standard error of estimate of 0.73 years.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Via D. Minzoni 9, 62100 Macerata, Italy. r.cameriere@unimc.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cameriere
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrante
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011884:Radius / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014457:Ulna / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging