[Skeletal changes in Down's syndrome. A correlation between radiological and cytogenetic findings (author's transl)]

One hundred and two patients with Down's syndrome aged one day to 17 years were examined radiologically, seven of these repeatedly. Films obtained included the chest in two planes, lateral spine, left hand and pelvis. The following features were noted; the number of paired ribs, ossification centres in the manubrium, height of lumbar vertebral bodies, shortening of the phalanges, bone age and calculation of the acetabula and ilial angle and ilial index. In all patients the chromosomes were examined in order to determine the cytogenetic type. The following features were found to be more common in Down's syndrome than in normals: abnormal ossification of the manubrium (33%), aplasia of the twelfth rib (18%), high lumbar vertebral bodies (50%), brachymesophalangia of the fifth ray (62%) and changes in skeletal maturation (acceleration or retardation in 48%). Changes in the pelvis were typical; with increasing age, the acetabular angle falls and the ilial angle increases. The most striking skeletal changes were found in 84 patients with trisomy 21.