[Relations between development of the apophyses of the ilial crest (Risser's sign) and development of the hand skeleton in girls with scoliosis].

The maturation of the iliac apophysis (Risser sign) and of the bones of the hand and wrist of 34 girls with scoliosis with 46 pairs of data were analyzed to get information upon their predictive value for further growth and development of the scoliotic curve. A strong correlation was found between the Risser sign and the maturation of the hand and wrist (r = 0.74, p less than 0.005). The prognostic value of the Risser sign (r = -0.57) for further height gain is superior to chronological age only (r = -0.52), the maturation of the hand and wrist (r = -0.62) however is superior to the Risser sign. It can be assumed that this also holds for their prognostic value for the progression of the scoliotic curve. We feel that in the clinician routine for girls with scoliosis the determination of the skeletal maturity from X-rays of the hand is sufficient and with its probably unavoidable irradiation risks to the gonads the determination of the Risser sign should be abandoned.