Tanner-Whitehouse method

The Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) method is a way of assessing the bone age of children. There are several variations of this method, but all use a DP radiograph of the left hand and wrist to assess the relative maturity of the bones of the patient.

The TW2 (Tanner-Whitehouse 2) methods :

• RUS (radius-ulna-short bones): 13 bones including the radius, ulna and short bones of the thumb, middle and little fingers
• carpus: 7 carpal bones
• 20-bones method: combines the two

Each of the bones that is being evaluated is compared to a standard set of bones at different stages of maturation. A score is assigned to each bone based on maturation and sex of the patient.

Once all the bones have been scored, a total score is generated by adding all bone scores together and then plotted on a graph to determine how the bone age relates to the chronological age.

The TW2 method was developed using radiographs from average-class children in the UK between 1950 and 1960. TW3 (Tanner-Whitehouse 3) method is an update published in 2001 .