A new radiological method for assessing long bone growth in the small laboratory animal.

The growth of the immature rat tibia has been measured following five different growth stimulating procedures. These comprised proximal periosteal release, proximal periosteal release with insertion of dissimilar metal wire, repeated proximal periosteal release, distal periosteal release and full periosteal stripping of the diaphysis. The new radiographic method of measurement employed, utilizes a photographic technique. A reproducible measurement of the rate of long bone growth in the small experimental animal is possible.