Question

An 18-year-old male accused of rape claims he is 16 years old. Which joint X-ray should be done?

• A. Elbow and ankle
• B. Knee and wrist
• C. Shoulder and head
• D. Hip & knee

Hint:

Knee and wrist X-rays are standard for assessing skeletal maturity and estimating age, as these joints exhibit predictable patterns of growth plate closure.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Decide what we must prove.
The accused says he is 16; the question is whether he has actually crossed the threshold near 18. Age estimation in the late teens relies on which epiphyseal (growth) plates have fused, because each joint fuses at a known age window.

Step 2: Pick joints whose fusion brackets 16 to 18.
The wrist and knee are ideal for this age band:
• Wrist - the lower end of the radius fuses around 18-19 years; an unfused versus fusing radius helps separate 16 from 18.
• Knee - the lower femur and upper tibia epiphyses fuse around 17-19 years in males, again straddling the disputed age.
Together they give a reliable read on whether bone age is nearer 16 or 18.

Step 3: Why not the other pairings.
Elbow-and-ankle, shoulder-and-head, and hip-and-knee combinations either fuse too early or do not give the same tight 16-18 discrimination, so they are less useful for resolving this specific claim.

Step 4: Conclude.
To test the claimed age of 16 against ~18, radiograph the knee and wrist for epiphyseal fusion.

Final answer: Option 2 - Knee and wrist.