Reference study on the time frame for ossification of the distal radius and ulnar epiphyses on the hand radiograph

Abstract

Hand radiographs from 554 male and 288 female subjects aged 10–30 years, which had been taken due to traumatological indications, were evaluated. A classification into five ossification stages was applied to assess the epiphyseal development of distal radius and distal ulna (1: epiphysis not ossified; 2: epiphysis ossified, nonunion of the epiphysis and metaphysis; 3: partial union of the epiphysis and metaphysis; 4: complete union of the epiphysis and metaphysis, epiphyseal scar visible; 5: complete union of the epiphysis and metaphysis, epiphyseal scar nondiscernable). It was established that male subjects with an ossification stage 4 of the radius or ulna and female subjects with an ossification stage 5 of the radius were at least 14 years old. The occurrence of ossification stage 5 of the radius proves that a male individual has reached the age of 18 years.