Brief communication: on the optimum number of metacarpals for roentgenogrammetric measurement

The optimum number of metacarpals necessary for roentgenogrammetric measurement is examined because it is not clear whether an increased amount of radiogrammetric information is worth the additional measurement time and effort. A study was undertaken to address whether more metacarpals improve bone-size/body-size correlations or relationships to the fat-free mass and whether more metacarpals improve long-term replicabilities or continuities.