Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography
Published on: November 8, 2024
Recording skeletal completeness: A standardised approach
Samantha K Rowbotham1, Soren Blau2, Jacqueline Hislop-Jambrich3
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3006, Australia.
Abstract:
Recording the preservation of human skeletal remains is the foundation of osteological analyses for forensic and archaeological skeletal material. Methods for recording the skeletal completeness, one of the components of skeletal preservation documentation, are however currently non-standardised and subjective. To provide practitioners with a scientific means to accurately quantify skeletal completeness in an adult skeleton, percentage values for each skeletal element have been established. Using computed tomography (CT) volume rendering applications and post-mortem CT skeletal data for one adult individual, the percentage value for each bone relative to the complete skeleton was calculated based on volume. Percentage values for skeletal elements ranged from 0.01% (select hand and foot bones) to 8.43% (femur). Visual and written mediums detailing individual skeletal percentages have been provided as user-friendly reference sources. Calculating the percentage of skeletal remains available for analysis provides practitioners with a means to scientifically and objectively record skeletal completeness.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to the Skeletal System
Components of the Skeletal System
Bone, or osseous tissue, is a hard connective tissue that forms an internal support structure for the human body. Bones shield vulnerable organs and soft tissue from external forces. For example, the vertebral bones protect and support the spinal cord.
Cartilage, a semi-rigid connective tissue found in regions such as...
What is the Skeletal System?
Classification of Bones
Long and Short Bones
The appendicular skeleton, particularly the upper and lower limbs, is primarily made of long and short bones. The...
Skeletal Muscle Anatomy
Overview of the Axial Skeleton
The axial skeleton of the...
The Functions of the Skeletal System

