Statistical validation of the computerized method for calculating vertebral bone age

Introduction: For planned orthodontic therapy to be effective, it is important to define a treatment time based on the estimation of the child’s growth stage, skeletal maturation and therefore bone age. In a single irradiation via profile teleradiography, it is possible to obtain sufficient information to place the patient on his growth curve since the vertebral stages are good indicators of physiological maturity.

Objective: The objective was to statistically validate the vertebral computerized method (MIV) on a large sample in order to reliably and reproducibly locate the stage of vertebral maturation.

Materials and methods: Hand-wrist radiographs and profile teleradiographs of 30 patients were included to set up the MIV. To validate the MIV, panoramic and telecranial radiographs of 192 children were included in the study. Spearman correlation tests were then performed to assess correlations and Lin’s concordance coefficient calculations were used to analyze concordances.

Conclusion: The correlations and concordances obtained were statistically significant, positive and moderate. The vertebral computerized method is a method that seems reliable and usable in orthodontic practices.