Extremity radiograph unknown 11

Anshuman Bansal

JHU SOM

abansal1@jhmi.edu

David Marker

JHU SOM

dmarker@jhmi.edu


Publication Date: 2009-09-11

Findings

  1. Can you determine whether the skeletal image of the hand below comes from and adult or a child?

    Adult

    Incorrect. An adult hand would not have open physes (growth plates) at the end of ech bone. Try again.
    Child

    Correct. This individual has open physes (growth plates) at the end of each long bone (phalanges and metacarpals). Because these are not fully calcified, it is likely that this individual is a child and still has some growth remaining. A left hand bone age, where an individual's hand x-ray is compared to a set of standard x-rays, is commonly used to determine a child's skeletal age.