title: Age estimation in U-20 football players using 3.0 tesla MRI of the clavicle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To guarantee equal chances for participants in U-20 football tournaments, it seems desirable to verify the ages given by players with questionable dates of birth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the potential use of 3.0 tesla MRI of the clavicle in estimating the ages of U-20 football players.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ossification stage of the medial clavicular epiphyses was evaluated prospectively in 152 male footballers in the age group from 18 to 22 years using 3.0 tesla MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average age increased with any higher degree of fusion. The only footballer with full ossification of the medial clavicular epiphyseal plate was 21.2 years old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of a fully ossified clavicular epiphyseal plate appears to provide evidence of completion of the 20th year of life. The results of the pilot study need to be verified in a larger number of cases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Münster 48149, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vieth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, Münster 48149, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, Münster 48149, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brinkmeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Schultheiss Clinic, Lengghalde 2, Zurich 8008, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, Münster 48149, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.schmeling@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmeling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D002968:Clavicle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012916:Soccer; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clavicle; Forensic age estimation; MRI; Skeletal age