Juxtaposition of bone age and sexual maturity rating of the Taiwanese population

Abstract

Background: Bone age (BA) and sexual maturity rating (SMR) are crucial measures in assessing adolescent growth and development. However, studies specifically focusing on the association between BA and SMR in the Taiwanese adolescent population are limited. This study aims to utilize AI-assessed BA results to establish a relationship between BA and SMR in the Taiwanese adolescent population, particularly regarding the initiation of puberty.

Materials and methods: The electronic medical records of bone age assessments conducted between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, were reviewed retrospectively. For individuals with multiple records, only the latest entry within this period was retained. Records lacking a valid SMR or presenting significant medical conditions were excluded from the analysis. Males aged 7-17 years and females aged 6-16 years were included in the study.

Results: The onset of puberty was observed to occur at a median bone age of 11.50 years (95% CI: 11.42-11.83) for males and 9.33 years (95% CI: 9.25-9.50) for females.

Conclusion: The consistency between BA and SMR could serve as an alternative approach for assessing pubertal status in peripubertal children, providing a less intrusive evaluation regardless of chronological age (CA).

Keywords: Bone age; Pubertal onset; Puberty assessment; Sexual maturity rating; Tanner staging.

Fig. 1

Bone age vs. male sexual maturity rating.

Fig. 2

Bone age vs. female sexual maturity rating.