A Radiological Study of Epiphyseal Union of Knee Joint for Age Estimation

Age is an important parameter for medico-legal cases. Many times doctors are called upon to give opinion about age of a person. For this objective methods of age determination are required. Age of epiphyseal union is an important objective method of age determination. But these ages varies with racial, geographic, climatic and various other factors. These variations have suggested need of separate standards of ossification for separate regions. Present work is undertaken to work out ages of epiphyseal union around knee joint for Vidarbha region. Study is carried out in total 160 healthy subjects (88 girls and 72 boys) aging from 13 to 23 years & having length of residence in Vidarbha not less than 10 years. The chronological age upto the day of examination is determined & A-P view of right knee joint is taken in each case. These radiographs are studied to determine age of union of epiphyses of lower end of femur , upper end of tibia & upper end of fibula. These ages are compared with those reported from various states of India & also from other countries & found to vary appreciably. Sexual dimorphism for ages of epiphyseal union is also studied.