Patent ID: 7678049

Claim:
A method for measuring bone age comprising: (a) providing an apparatus for estimating bone age by at least one acoustic signal in an ossification-actuated skeletal structure, comprising: (I) an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver positioned facing each other so that said structure is positioned between them; said structure comprises at least two bones; said transmitter is adapted for transmitting said at least one signal to cross said structure transversely; said receiver is adapted for receiving said at least one signal transmitted by said transmitter; (II) an electronic moveable gantry for adjusting the position of said acoustic transmitter and said acoustic receiver in relation to said structure; (III) a computer system enabled to estimate said bone age responsive to said received signal by at least one bone age calculation formula, (b) transmitting said at least one signal into said structure by said transmitter; (c) receiving said transmitted at least one signal by said receiver; (d) analyzing said at least one signal and determining at least one effect of said structure on said at least one signal; and (e) estimating the age of said structure by using said determined effect and said at least one formula.