Forensic age estimation based on the trabecular bone changes of the pelvic bone using post-mortem CT.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Radiology
• Anatomy

Background:

• Age estimation is crucial in forensic and archaeological contexts.
• Trabecular bone morphology changes with age, offering potential for non-invasive age assessment.
• Computed tomography (CT) provides detailed visualization of bone structure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a CT-based method for age estimation using trabecular bone changes.
• To analyze age-related changes in the pubic bone (PB) and auricular surface (AS) of the ilium.
• To assess the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method across different age groups and sexes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 319 human cadaver CT scans.
• Identification and categorization of trabecular bone structural phases in the PB and AS.
• Statistical correlation analysis between observed bone phases and chronological age.
• Evaluation of inter-observer variability and method robustness.

Main Results:

• Four distinct age-related phases identified in the pubic bone (PB) and five in the auricular surface (AS).
• High correlations between bone changes and age were observed for both sexes (PB: F 0.89, M 0.75; AS: F 0.85, M 0.71).
• The method demonstrated high accuracy for individuals over 60 years, with a mean inaccuracy of approximately 6 years.

Conclusions:

• CT-based analysis of trabecular bone in the PB and AS is a reliable method for age estimation.
• The identified phases and correlations provide a robust framework for forensic age assessment.
• The technique is minimally affected by variations in CT acquisition parameters, enhancing its practical applicability.