[Morphological studies of the upper end of the femur. I. Measurements of the diameter of the femoral head and neck].

The mediolateral diameters (MLD) and the anteroposterior diameters (APD) of the head and neck of the upper end of 170 femurs excised from autopsy cases were measured in the moist state and analyzed by computer. The mean actual measurements (mm) were: 47.3 (MLD) and 47.2 (APD) for femoral head diameters; 44.6 (MLD) and 40.9 (APD) for subcapital diameters; 33.5 (MLD) and 27.5 (APD) for midcervical diameters; and 44.0 (MLD) and 27.9 (APD) for basilar diameters. Multiple regression analysis of the relation between the stature and the diameters of the femoral head and neck showed that femoral head diameters were related most closely to the stature. The mean values of the diameters of the femoral head and neck exhibited significant sexual differences (p less than 0.01). When the right and left measurements were compared, the femoral head diameter tended to show a significant difference (p less than 0.1); there was also a significant difference in the subcapital diameter (p less than 0.05).