RELIABILITY OF VISUALIZATION OF THE DISTAL FEMORAL EPIPHYSES AS A MEASURE OF MATURITY

Abstract

I T I s generally conceded that 100 per cent of mature newborn femaIes and about 96 per cent of mature newborn males will have radiographically visible distal femoral epiphyseslF 2 To our knowledge no study has been published representing an attempt to establish the frequency of visibility of these epiphyseal centers in premature infants toward the end of establishing a percentage reliability figure with reference to the prediction of maturity on this basis. This paper reports the results of such a study. The knees of all premature infants born in Letterman Army Hospital, Presidio of San Francisco, California, and United States Army Hospital, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, between Jan. 1, 1960, and Jan. 1, 1961, were radiographed within 12 hours of birth, with due attention to lead protection of the infant’s body other than the knees. No attempt was made to measure the size of the visible epiphyses but only to record their presence or their absence. The bases for the diagnosis of prematurity were as follows: birth weight less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams); length less than 181/g inches