Every day of the week radiologist around the World are asked to evalute bone age vs. chronologic age for children with a variety of endocrinologic problems which might case growth delay or small stature. This process requires a single X-ray of the hand. Bone age can then be determined by comparing the bone develpment with published standards available in any X-ray department.

While not totally precise, a child or teenagers age can be determined within very tight limits. In other words, there is a great deal of difference in the normal bone structure of a 12 or 13 year old child when compared to a 15 or 16 year old child.

X-ray doc