radiological calculation of severity of slipped capital femoral epiphysis

Last reviewed 01/2018

severity of the slip in SCFE

The severity of the slip in SCFE can be graded by radiography.

  • Wilson method - the relative displacement of the epiphysis on the metaphysis is calculated in a frog-leg lateral radiograph
    • mild slip - epiphysis displacement is less than one third of the width of the metaphysis
    • moderate slip  - displacement is between one third and one half of the width
    • severe slip - displacement is greater than one half of the width
  • Southwick method - epiphyseal shaft angle is calculated on the frog-leg lateral radiograph, the epiphyseal shaft angle on the uninvolved side is subtracted from that on the involved side
    • mild slip - < 30°
    • moderate slip - between 30° and 50°
    • severe slip - > 50° (1)

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