Skeletal maturity in myelodysplasia

Incongruent skeletal age in 76 myelomeningocele patients was assessed by a single hand and wrist bone-age film. 28 per cent of patients were found to have a bone age of more than two standard deviations from their chronological age. 22 per cent had advanced skeletal age. Below eight years of age, only 11 per cent were advanced, but over this age 32 per cent showed skeletal maturity exceeding chronological age. Gender, neurological level, presence of hydrocephalus and number of shunt revisions did not correlate with the prevalence of advanced bone age.