To confirm the validity of static measurements of ultrasonographic morphometric techniques and compare the normal ultrasonographic morphology of Korean neonates with that of reported series in the literature from different parts of the world.

One hundred and twelve normal neonates (224 hips) of less than four weeks old had ultrasonographic examinations and static measurements in copies of coronal images, such as Graf's angle, angle, Morin's head coverage percentage and cartilaginous head size. The measurements were performed twice by two surgeons at more than one week's interval and the mean values of static measurements were compared with series on Caucasians, Hong Kong Chinese, and Japanese.

Means of angle , angle , head coverage percentage and cartilaginous head size were 60.11±5.0degrees, 45.82±4.08degrees, 57.43±6.89%, 14.99±1.16 mm, respectively. The interobserver and intraobserver variance was not significantly different.

Static measurements in our ultrasonographic morphometric techniques reveal acceptable intraobserver and interobserver variance, with Korean neonates showing to have definitely lower angle and high head coverage percentage than Japanese or Caucasian neonates reported in the literature.