BONE-AGE DETERMINATION IN CHILDREN WITH LEGG-CALVE-PERTHES DISEASE - A COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS

In 100 children (17 girls, 83 boys) with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, t he average chronological age, pelvis bone age, and hand-wrist bone age were significantly different for the girls (8.2, 6.9, and 7.0 years, respectively; p < 0.05) and the boys (8.2, 7.4, and 5.9 years, respect ively; p < 0.05). For the girls, the chronological age was greater tha n the pelvis bone age and the hand-wrist bone age (p < 0.05); there wa s no difference between the pelvis and hand-wrist bone age. For the bo ys, the chronological age was greater than the pelvis bone age and the hand-wrist bone age (p < 0.05); the pelvis bone age was greater than the hand-wrist bone age and less than the chronological age (p < 0.05) . The acromelic growth in Legg-Calve-Perthes disease may explain why t he more proximal pelvis bone age in boys was less delayed than that of the more distal hand-wrist.