Radiologic estimation of gestational age of Nigerian newborn infants using the lower limb ossification centres

The presence and size of the epiphyseal centres in the lower limb were studied by post-natal radiological examination in 176 Nigerian newborn infants. The gestational age range was between 27 and 42 weeks. There was no difference between the sexes and between the two halves of the body. There was also no difference in size and pattern of appearance of epiphyseal centres between our infants and their Caucasian counterparts. There was a narrow limit within which the knee epiphyseal centres were visible--the distal femoral at 36 weeks and proximal tibial at 38 weeks. The calcaneus and talus centres were visible in all infants. The prediction interval for estimation of age from the mean size of femoral epiphysis in this material was +/- 32.4 days and +/- 38 days for the tibial epiphysis.