title: Digital radiographic evaluation of hand-wrist bone maturation and prediction of age in South Indian adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the growing years, indicators of the level of maturational development of the individual provide the best means for evaluating biologic age and the associated timing of skeletal growth. The relative stage of maturity of a child may be determined by comparing the child's hand-wrist radiograph to the known standards of skeletal development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we assessed various levels of skeletal maturation and also identified the relationship between chronological age (CA) and maturation stage using the hand-wrist radiographs in adolescents of Indian origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and thirty hand-wrist digital radiographs of individuals aged 8 to 18 years were evaluated for skeletal maturity levels using Fishman's method. The data was analysed using the SPSS software package (version 12, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Regression analysis was performed for calculating bone age of both males and females. Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficients were estimated separately for males and females to assess the relation between CA and maturation level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An association between skeletal maturation indicator stages and CA (r = 0.82) was significant. Interestingly, female subjects were observed to be advanced in skeletal maturity compared to males. Regression equations were derived to calculate bone age in males, females and the whole sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study showed significant association between hand-wrist skeletal maturation levels and CA. Digital radiographic assessment of hand-wrist skeletal maturation can be used as a better choice for predicting average bone age of an individual because of its simplicity, reliability and lesser radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, GITAM Dental College and Hospital, Rushikonda, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530045 India.
authors.forename: Rezwana Begum
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Dental College Azamgarh, Chandeshwar, Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh 276138 India.
authors.forename: M Asha Lata
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Chhattisgarh Dental College and Research Institute, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh India.
authors.forename: Megha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Chhattisgarh Dental College and Research Institute, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh India.
authors.forename: Johar Rajvinder
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, MGIMS, Sevagram, Wardha, Maharashtra 442102 India.
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanghvi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Bhabha College of Dental Sciences, Jatkhedi, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462047 India.
authors.forename: Anshuj Ajay Rao
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Thetay
keywords: Bone age; Chronological age; Digital radiography; Hand-wrist radiograph; Skeletal maturation assessment