FELS, Greulich‐Pyle, and Tanner‐Whitehouse bone age assessments in a group of Italian children and adolescents

Abstract

Assessments of skeletal maturity are usually made from handwrist radiographs, using either the method of Greulich-Pyle (GP) or Tanner-Whitehouse (TW). Recently the FELS method has been developed, and it represents a potentially valuable approach to skeletal age assessment. The present study evaluates the accuracy and precision of FELS skeletal age assessments compared with ratings by the GP and TW methods in a group of Italian children and adolescents. The hand-wrist radiographs of subjects (171 males and 156 females 1 to 17 years) referred to the "Istituto di Puericultura e Medicina Neonatale" of the University of Genoa in Italy between 1985 and 1990 were assessed according to each method. Two independent observers rated the radiographs and one observer reassessed them after 6 months or more. GP estimates rather closely match chronological age; TW ratings tend to overestimate chronological age by 7-9 months around puberty, mainly in boys; and the FELS method tends to overestimate chronological age by amounts that increase with chronological age. The degree of precision of skeletal age assessments is within the usually accepted limits. Higher levels of repeatability and reproducibility are apparent for the FELS estimates than for GP and TW assessments. Thus, skeletal maturity is likely to be adequately interpreted by the FELS method as well as by the more commonly used GP and TW systems in Italian children and adolescents. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Applicability of the skeletal age determination method of Tanner and Whitehouse for forensic age diagnostics

“…The suitability of the Tanner-Whitehouse method for clinical issues has been studied in numerous papers [3,6,9,16,48]. …”

Physical characteristics of elite youth male football players aged 13–15 are based upon biological maturity

“…These methods are similar to each other in principle. Hand-wrist X-rays of children and adolescents are compared using a set of criteria; however, signs of bone maturity and the criteria specific to each method differ ( Vignolo et al, 1992 ).…”

The epiphyseal scar: changing perceptions in relation to skeletal age estimation

“…Radiographic methods of assessment, such as those relating to the hand and wrist (Andersen, 1971, Büken et al, 2009, Bull et al, 1999, Greulich and Pyle, 1950, 1959, Hackman and Black, 2013b, Schmeling et al, 2006, Schmidt et al, 2007, Schmidt et al, 2008b, Tanner et al, 2001, Tanner et al, 1962, Tanner et al, 1975, Thiemann and Nitz, 1991, Vignolo et al, 1992, elbow (Brodeur, 1981, Diméglio et al, 2005, Sauvegrain et al, 1962 , knee Black, 2013a, Pyle andHoerr, 1969), and foot and ankle , Hoerr et al, 1962 have undergone extensive testing on additional populations.…”