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Growth arrest and leg-length discrepancy

Pediatric Radiology volume 43, pages 155–165 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Identification of congenital and acquired etiologies causing alignment disorders and leg-length discrepancies (LLD) in children is important for management. Minor differences in the lengths of the lower extremities are considered a normal variation and usually have no clinical significance. However, LLD of greater than 1 cm can cause altered biomechanics, resulting in scoliosis, back and lower extremity joint pain, pelvic tilt, abnormal gait and premature degenerative joint disease. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to review the imaging spectrum of growth arrest and resultant alignment and leg-length discrepancies in children.

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank Noemi Chavez for her help in preparing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Radiology Division, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Ellison 2, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Randheer Shailam

  2. Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Diego Jaramillo

  3. Department of Pediatric Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    J. Herman Kan

Authors
  1. Randheer Shailam
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  2. Diego Jaramillo
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  3. J. Herman Kan
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Correspondence to Randheer Shailam.

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Shailam, R., Jaramillo, D. & Kan, J.H. Growth arrest and leg-length discrepancy. Pediatr Radiol 43, 155–165 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-012-2598-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-012-2598-5

Keywords

  • Children
  • Leg-length discrepancy
  • Perthes disease
  • Physeal bar