Work

Assessment of Biological Age With Conventional Ultrasound Imaging as an Alternative to X‐Ray—A Pilot Study in Youth Soccer

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate conventional ultrasound (US) as a radiation-free alternative to X-ray for determining biological age (BA; indicated by skeletal age). BA, was determined in 24 healthy, male, elite youth soccer goalkeepers around peak height velocity (11-16 years of age) using both X-ray and conventional US scans of the left hand. X-ray scans were evaluated using the Tanner-Whitehouse 2 method. Conventional US scans served to determine BA via ossification ratios of 13 hand and wrist bones. The new conventional US method showed very strong correlation with X-ray r = 0.90 (p < 0.05). However, the agreement for the difference in BA and CA, which accounts for age-related variance, was classified poor (ICC = 0.48, p < 0.05). Additionally, linear regression analysis and the Bland-Altman plot suggested the presence of a systematic and proportional overestimation of BA in younger players and an underestimation of BA in older players. Furthermore, Cohen's kappa showed a moderate agreement between players' classification into maturity groups for the two assessment methods. In conclusion, our study has shown that using US-derived ossification ratios did not deliver valid results compared to X-ray when determining BA in youth soccer goalkeepers.

Source: European Journal of Sport Science

DOI: 10.1002/ejsc.12264

Authors: Chantal Widmer, Jasmin D. Busch, Dennis‐Peter Born, Michael Romann

Institutions: University of Fribourg, ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen SFISM, University of Bern, University Hospital of Bern

Language: English

Topic: Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,680