Harris lines

Harris lines are lines of higher bone density that can be seen on the radiograph. They run parallel to the growth plate in the metaphysis of long bones - particularly the shinbone (tibia) - and are a sign of a short-term change in the longitudinal growth of the bone. In the English -speaking world are the names Harris lines, growth arrest lines, recovery lines, stress lines, or parking lines in use. The name goes back to the describer, the Welsh anatomist Henry Albert Harris.

The causes of Harris lines often vitamin or nutritional deficiency are called (for example, illness or malnutrition ) or longer immobility; then it shall come to growth shutdowns to a subsequent catch-up growth with altered bone formation, which can be seen as a transverse radiopaque stripes. Once created, Harris lines can be formed again and lose their visibility. The interpretation of Harris lines as an indicator of malnutrition is controversial; recent studies demonstrate that Harris lines are not caused by malnutrition, but a well- common phenomenon in bone growth in children and adolescents.