Investigation of methods for estimating hand bone dimensions using X-ray hand anthropometric data

Area of Science:

• Anthropometry
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate estimation of bone lengths is crucial in various fields, including orthopedics and ergonomics.
• Traditional methods for bone length measurement can be invasive or require specialized equipment.
• Developing non-invasive predictive models based on surface measurements is an area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare two distinct conversion methods (M1 and M2) for predicting finger/phalange bone lengths.
• To determine the accuracy and correlation of bone length estimations derived from surface measurements.
• To identify the most effective method for estimating bone lengths based on simplicity and precision.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 41 Korean college students (25 males, 16 females).
• Measured finger/phalange surface lengths, bone lengths (via X-ray), and grip strengths.
• Defined M1 (one-dimensional surface hand length) and M2 (four-dimensional surface finger lengths) as predictive formulas.

Main Results:

• Method M1 yielded a lower mean estimation error (1.22 mm) compared to Method M2 (1.29 mm).
• Estimated bone lengths by M1 showed a higher correlation (mean r = 0.81) with measured bone lengths than M2 (r = 0.79).
• M1 demonstrated superior performance in both accuracy and correlation for predicting bone lengths.

Conclusions:

• The M1 method, utilizing surface hand length, is recommended for predicting finger/phalange bone lengths.
• M1 offers a simpler and more accurate approach compared to the M2 method.
• This study provides a validated, non-invasive method for bone length estimation.