[Significance of bone age estimation to the clinic (author's transl)].

1. Typical alterations of bone maturation may be observed in many growth disturbances, e.g. consitutional delay of growth and development, early normal puberty and precocious puberty. They may be helpful for diagnosis and differential diagnosis. 2. Within certain limits it is possible to predict the definite adult stature of a child from his measured height and bone age. The prognosis frequently results in therapeutical consequences. 3. In order to correctly perform and evaluate hormonal treatment in endocrinopathies, regular controls of bone age are of utmost importance during childhood.