Growth and development evaluation of patients with growth potential is of great importance for orthodontic treatment planning. Timing of orthodontic intervention greatly depends on one`s developmental status, thus if there is a difference in skeletal maturation among malocclusion types different treatment timing should be applied. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare skeletal maturation among different malocclusion types. The samples used in this study was 38 ClassI. 36 ClassII and 33 ClassIII females aging from 8 to 10 years. Handwrist X-rays were taken with 6 month interval till 12-13 years of age. The results were as follows. 1. There was no skeletal maturity difference among different malocclusion types. 2. The hamular process of hamate was observed at 9.16+/-0.72 years, pisiform bone at 9.13+/-0.71 years and the ulnar sesamoid at 10.34+/-0.84 years. 3. The timing of epiphyseal capping on the third finger was 10.96+/-0.80 years for distal phalanx and 11.27+/-0.87 years for middle phalanx, 11.12+/-0.86 years for proximal phalanx of the first finger, 11.21+/-0.82 years for radius and 11.62+/-0.85 years for middle phalanx of the fifth finger. 4. The appearance of pisiform bone showed high correlation with appearance of hamular process of hamate(r=0.91), and ulnar sesamoid bone appearance showed high correlation with advanced ossification of hamular process(r=0.86). Timing of epiphyseal capping among different parts showed high correlation(r=0.80-0.90). 5. The shape of middle phalanx of the fifth finger showed the highest variability (20.6%).
Aging ; Female ; Fingers ; Growth and Development ; Hand* ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies* ; Malocclusion* ; Pisiform Bone ; Radius ; Sesamoid Bones ; Wrist*

OBJECTIVE: To study the bone development in adolescents in China, and establish forensic skeletal age standard for estimation of the criminal responsible age in 14 years old male adolescents. METHODS: One hundred and three healthy boys aged from 13 years and 9 months to 14 years and 3 months in Lengshuijiang, Hunan, China were enrolled in this study. X-ray films of their left hand-wrist were taken dorsaventrally, and 15 selected sites on the wrist X-ray films were examined and measured under standard condition. The development grade was confirmed by maximum percentage to establish a method to estimate the bone age, which was then checked by single blind method. RESULTS: Development grade of the first metacarpal bone and the first phalanx IV was partially closed (less than 1/3), but the rest was non-closed. The cross diameters of all the osteoepiphysis were wider than that of all the diaphysis. The development grade of the fourth metacarpal bone and the fifth metacarpal bone as well as the adjacent third phalanx were different in both younger age group (<14 years, mostly non-closed) and the older age group (>14 years, mostly closed). The confirmed accuracy (in 30 boys) was 80%. CONCLUSION Our study seems to be feasible in establishing the estimation standard for skeletal age determination using developmental metaphysis and anthropometry. The standard may be particularly helpful in forensic practice for estimation of accurate criminal responsible age in adolescents.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Anthropometry/methods* ; Bone Development/physiology* ; Carpal Bones/growth & development* ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Hand Bones/growth & development* ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpal Bones/growth & development* ; Reference Values

PURPOSES: Radiologic findings of hands in Turner syndrome(TS) which have been reported were metacarpal sign(MS), carpal sign(CS), phalangeal sign(PS), osteopenia, and delayed bone maturation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the difference of radiologic findings in TS, idiopathic short stature(ISS), and growth hormone deficiency(GHD). METHODS: Sixty girls with short stature were studied for chromosome analysis, and growth hormone provocation test. Simple radiography of hands was also used in this study. They were divided into three groups; 25 cases of TS(45, XO, 13 cases; variants, 12 cases), 24 cases of ISS, and 11 cases of GHD. MS was the distance between the line drawn tangential to the heads of the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones and the distal end of the third metacarpal head. CS was the angle between the line tangential to scaphoid and lunate and the line tangential to lunate and triquetrum. PS was the difference between the sum of the length of distal and proximal phalanges of the fourth finger and the length of the fourth metacarpus. Frequency of osteopenia and the shortening of the fifth middle phalanx among three groups were compared. RESULTS: MS was 0.06+/-4.66 mm in TS, -1.96+/-1.83 mm in ISS, and -2.63+/-30 mm in GHD. CS was 116.54+/-11.52degreein TS, 129.42+/-5.52degreein ISS, and 125.54+/-7.22degreein GHD. PS was 0.52+/-0.34 mm in TS, 0.38+/-0.20 mm in ISS, and 0.33+/-0.20 mm in GHD. There were statistically significant differences between TS and ISS, between TS and GHD, respectively in MS, CS, and PS(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in MS, CS, and PS between 45, XO and variants of TS. Osteopenia was observed in 92.3% of TS, and 54.2% of ISS, and 81.8% of GHD. Shortening of the fifth middle phalanx was observed in 56.0% of TS, 25.0% of ISS, and 45.5% of GHD. CONCLUSION: Simple radiologic findings of hands are helpful in differential diagnosis of TS and other short stature children.
Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fingers ; Growth Hormone ; Hand* ; Head ; Humans ; Metacarpal Bones ; Metacarpus ; Radiography ; Turner Syndrome*

We assessed genetic and environmental effects on bone development of the hand and wrist, and on key anthropometric measures in Chinese young twins. In total, 139 monozygotic and 95 dizygotic twin pairs aged from 5 to 18 years were recruited. The twin correlations of total hand and wrist scores for monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins were 0.71 and 0.36, respectively. Bivariate model analysis showed moderate genetic correlations only for total skeletal maturity vs. weight and total skeletal maturity vs. waist circumference (r, 0.51 and 0.46, respectively). Our findings demonstrated that genetic factors played important roles in bone development of the hand and wrist in Chinese young twins, and that these genetic effects might be distinct from those influencing anthropometric measures.
Adolescent ; Bone Development ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; Hand Bones ; growth & development ; Humans ; Twins, Dizygotic ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Wrist ; growth & development

PURPOSE: The growth velocity in patients with central precocious puberty during treatment cannot be predicted. There is a positive correlation in growth among the long bones of the body and the length of the femur and tibia may determine individual height. We want to determine whether the second metacarpal bone can be used as a predictive index for growth velocity during gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment. METHODS: Thirty-four female children who were diagnosed with precocious puberty at our clinic and treated with GnRH agonist for about 1 year were included in this study. Patients who had growth-related disease, such as growth hormone deficiency and thyroid diseases were excluded. We reviewed their medical records retrospectively. We measured their height and the second metacarpal length from the X-ray film (left hand Anterior-Posterior at the time of their diagnosis and about a year after their GnRH agonist treatment. RESULTS: The age of the subjects was 8.5+/-0.6 years. The growth velocity during treatment was 4.9+/-1.2 cm/yr. There was a positive correlation between height and the second metacarpal length at diagnosis (P = 0.000, r = 0.666) and at one year after treatment (P = 0.000, r = 0.654). There was no correlation between the second metacarpal length at diagnosis and growth velocity during treatment for 1 year. CONCLUSION: We could not find the correlation between the second metacarpal length and growth velocity during GnRH agonist treatment for 1 year. However, the second metacarpal length showed a positive correlation with height before and after treatment. Therefore further study should be done to discovering the mechanisms working during GnRH agonist treatment including bone age, midparental height and so on.
Body Height ; Child ; Female ; Femur ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Growth Hormone ; Hand ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Metacarpal Bones ; Puberty, Precocious ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Tibia ; X-Ray Film

PURPOSE: The growth velocity in patients with central precocious puberty during treatment cannot be predicted. There is a positive correlation in growth among the long bones of the body and the length of the femur and tibia may determine individual height. We want to determine whether the second metacarpal bone can be used as a predictive index for growth velocity during gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment. METHODS: Thirty-four female children who were diagnosed with precocious puberty at our clinic and treated with GnRH agonist for about 1 year were included in this study. Patients who had growth-related disease, such as growth hormone deficiency and thyroid diseases were excluded. We reviewed their medical records retrospectively. We measured their height and the second metacarpal length from the X-ray film (left hand Anterior-Posterior at the time of their diagnosis and about a year after their GnRH agonist treatment. RESULTS: The age of the subjects was 8.5+/-0.6 years. The growth velocity during treatment was 4.9+/-1.2 cm/yr. There was a positive correlation between height and the second metacarpal length at diagnosis (P = 0.000, r = 0.666) and at one year after treatment (P = 0.000, r = 0.654). There was no correlation between the second metacarpal length at diagnosis and growth velocity during treatment for 1 year. CONCLUSION: We could not find the correlation between the second metacarpal length and growth velocity during GnRH agonist treatment for 1 year. However, the second metacarpal length showed a positive correlation with height before and after treatment. Therefore further study should be done to discovering the mechanisms working during GnRH agonist treatment including bone age, midparental height and so on.
Body Height ; Child ; Female ; Femur ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Growth Hormone ; Hand ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Metacarpal Bones ; Puberty, Precocious ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Tibia ; X-Ray Film

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnostic value of English, Chinese and Japanese standards of TW2 to skeletal age assessment of children with central precocious puberty (CPP), then to confirm the normal thresholds. METHODS: Sixty one children as patient group were definitely assured CPP. The control group had 67 children. Among them, 61 were normal children, another 6 children as a special control group. Left hand-wrist X-ray radiographs were retrospectively analyzed by two doctors separately and their skeletal ages were assessed with the three standards of TW2 method. The differences between skeletal age and chronological age were analyzed with ROC in SPSS 13.0. RESULTS: (1) The skeletal age results showed kappa value is 0.776 deduced by two clinical doctors(u = 16.128, P < 0.05). (2) There were no statistic differences for the areas under ROC curves among three methods. (3) d > or = 1.15 years in TW2, d > or = 1.25 years in TW2-CHN and d > or = 0.65 years in TW2-JP were more susceptive and specific points. CONCLUSION TW2, TW2-CHN and TW2-JP provided a higher value for the diagnosis of skeletal age in unhealthy children, and TW2-CHN is highest value for Chinese children.
Age Determination by Skeleton/standards* ; Age Factors ; Body Height ; Bone Development ; Carpal Bones/growth & development* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Hand/growth & development* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Puberty, Precocious/diagnosis* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity