A new computerised method for the assessment of skeletal maturity in the newborn infant

Abstract

Of the existing methods for assessment of skeletal maturity in children over 1 year of age none is particularly suited to the newborn infant. We describe a computerised method by which area, perimeter and progression in the shape of ossification centres of talus and calcaneus are evaluated separately. From single lateral radiographs of the left ankle of 302 normal term and preterm infants whose birth weights were appropriate for gestational age we constructed reference curves of areas and perimeters at different gestational ages, as well as frequency distributions of each morphological maturity stage. This method may be applicable in assessing skeletal maturity in pathological conditions, such as intrauterine growth retardation and congenital hypothyroidism.