Time of fusion of epiphyses at the elbow and wrist joints in girls of northwest India.

A radiological examination of both elbows and wrists of 149 Northwest Indian schoolgirls between the ages of 11 and 19 years, of middle socio-economic status, was undertaken to determine the time of fusion of the epiphyses with the metaphyses of the medial epicondyle of the humerus, the proximal end of the radius and the distal ends of both radius and ulna. The data were subjected to discriminant function tests as well as sensitivity and specificity tests. If the epiphysis of the medial epicondyle of the humerus or that of the head of the radius has not fused with metaphysis completely, the age of the girl would be < 16 years. However, the age of the girl should be > 16 years if the distal epiphyses of the radius and the ulna show complete fusion with their respective metaphyses. Discriminant function tests show that 91.95% of girls can be correctly classified as being above or below the age of 16 years.