EVALUATION OF THE ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY OF WEB-BASED SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS FOR BONE AGE ASSESSMENT

Objectives. Evaluation of the accuracy of bone age assessment and efficiency of clinical use of the web– based software applications developed by the author to assess the bone age of children in the Republic of Belarus.

Materials and methods. X–ray images of the hand and wrist joint in direct projection of 600 male and female patients at the age of 2–15.9 years. Bone age determination was performed using the Greulich–Pyle method and various modifications of the Tanner-Whitehouse method (TWII (CARPAL), TWII 20 (20 BONE), TWII (RUS), TWIII (RUS)) using paper versions of manuals and web-based software applications.

Results. The accuracy values of bone age assessment calculated using web–based software applications are comparable to the accuracy values obtained using paper versions of the Greulich–Pyle and Tanner–Whitehouse manuals. Web–based software applications can significantly reduce the time required to analyze radiographs and simplify bone age calculations. The use of digital technologies enables specialists to use more objective, accurate and complex methods of bone age assessment in routine clinical practice, such as the Tanner– Whitehouse TWIII (RUS) method, consuming the same amount of time to analyze X–ray images as when using the simple and less accurate Greulich–Pyle method.

Conclusion. Web–based software applications can be used for bone age assessment in clinical practice. The use of applications allows clinicians to utilize more accurate and objective methods of bone age assessment, reduce examination time and simplify the process of analyzing the X–ray anatomical features of the bones of the hand and distal forearm.

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