Skelettaltersbestimmung am Ellbogen während des pubertären Wachstums [Skeletal age determination from the elbow during pubertal growth]

The Sauvegrain et al. method of assessing skeletal age from elbow radiographs is useful during the 2 years of the pubertal growth spurt: between 11 and 13 years in girls and between 13 and 15 years in boys. This method uses four ossification centers of the elbow: lateral condyle, trochlea, olecranon apophysis, and proximal radial epiphysis. It is based on a 27-point scoring system. The scores of these structures are summed, a total score is determined, and a graph is then used to determine the skeletal age. This simple, reliable, and reproducible method complements the Greulich and Pyle atlas, which does not allow assessment of skeletal age in 6-month intervals during the phase of accelerating growth velocity. In clinical practice, maturity can best be evaluated by associating skeletal age, annual growth rate, and Tanner stages. Skeletal age assessment from the elbow is useful to plan the timing of epiphysiodesis in limb length inequality or to evaluate the progression risk of idiopathic scoliosis.

Abstract The Sauve grain et al. meth od of as sess ing skel e tal age from el bow ra dio graphs is use ful dur ing the 2 years of the pu ber tal growth spurt: be tween 11 and 13 years in girls and be tween 13 and 15 years in boys. This meth od uses four os si fi ca tion cen ters of the el bow: lat er al con dyle, trochlea, olecranon apoph ysis, and prox imal radi al epiph y sis. It is based on a 27-point scoring sys tem. The scores of these struc tures are summed, a to tal score is de ter mined, and a graph is then used to de ter mine the skeletal age. This sim ple, re li able, and re pro ducible method complements the Greulich and Pyle at las, which does not al low as sessment of skel e tal age in 6-month in ter vals dur ing the phase of ac cel er at ing growth ve locity. In clinical prac tice, ma turity can best be evaluat ed by associat ing skeletal age, an nu al growth rate, and Tan ner stages. Skel e tal age as sess ment from the elbow is use ful to plan the tim ing of ep iphysiodesis in limb length inequality or to eval u ate the pro gres sion risk of id io pathic sco li o sis. Key words Skel e tal age · El bow · Pu ber tal growth Skel e tal age de ter mi na tion from the el bow dur ing pu ber tal growth.