Estimating physiologic age using cervical vertebral maturation

Objective: The use of lateral cephalometric radiography for evaluating cervical vertebral bone age is a method that can substitute for the hand-wrist radiography method. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the cervical vertebral bone age, chronological age and hand-wrist bone age.Methods: Lateral cephalometric and hand-wrist radiographs of ۱۲۵ girls (۸-۱۳ wars) who needed orthodontic treatments were chosen. The dimensions of the ۳rd and ۴th cervical vertebral bodies were measured by a digital micrometer caliper with ۰.۰۲-mm accuracy and determined a regression formula to obtain cervical vertebral bone age. The data were collected and analyzed by a stepwise multiple regression analysis, and the results were compared with those obtained using the hand-wrist radiography method.Results: Our investigation shows that the correlation coefficient between cervical vertebral bone age and hand-wrist bone age (۰.۷۳۴) is significantly (p<۰.۰۱) higher than that obtained for the relationship between cervical vertebral bone age and chronological age (۰.۳۶۷). The correlation between hand-wrist bone age and chronological age was ۰.۷۰۱. In addition, we show that the average difference (absolute value) between cervical vertebral bone age and hand-wrist bone age (۰.۷۱±۰.۵۹ years) is significantly (p<۰.۰۵) lower than that between cervical vertebral bone age and chronological age (۱.۲۷± ۰.۹۲ years). Conclusions: By using lateral cephalometric radiography, it is possible to carry out a proper evaluation of skeletal maturity without any need for exposing the patient to extra radiation.

Keywords:

Physiologic age , Chronological age. Hand-wrist radiography , Lateral cephalometric radiography , Cervical vertebral bone age