[Skeletal age determination in children].

Determination of skeletal age in the growing patient is very important for various diagnostic questions. It is the most objective criterion of growth and development. Accordingly, it is necessary to be familiar with the most common methods used at present to estimate bone age in childhood. In newborns and infants skeletal age is usually determined from a lateral x-ray of the left lower leg, including knee and foot; after three month of age, an x-ray of the left hand is used. We present methods of assessing bone age from lower leg (v. Harnack) and from the left hand (Greulich-Pyle; Tanner-Whitehouse; de Roo and Schröder).