Age estimation in U-20 football players using 3.0 tesla MRI of the clavicle.

Background: To guarantee equal chances for participants in U-20 football tournaments, it seems desirable to verify the ages given by players with questionable dates of birth.

Objective: To study the potential use of 3.0 tesla MRI of the clavicle in estimating the ages of U-20 football players.

Methods: The ossification stage of the medial clavicular epiphyses was evaluated prospectively in 152 male footballers in the age group from 18 to 22 years using 3.0 tesla MRI.

Results: Average age increased with any higher degree of fusion. The only footballer with full ossification of the medial clavicular epiphyseal plate was 21.2 years old.

Conclusions: The presence of a fully ossified clavicular epiphyseal plate appears to provide evidence of completion of the 20th year of life. The results of the pilot study need to be verified in a larger number of cases.