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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
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Ontogenetic changes to bone microstructure in an archaeologically derived sample of human ribs
Amy C Beresheim1, Susan Pfeiffer2,3,4, Marc Grynpas5,6
1Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA, USA.
Journal of Anatomy
|November 16, 2019
Summary
This study analyzed human rib bone microstructure from birth to 21 years, revealing age-related changes in cortical and trabecular bone. Bone density and porosity shift significantly with age, but sex differences were not observed.
Area of Science:
- Human skeletal biology
- Paleopathology
- Forensic anthropology
Background:
- Bone microstructure exhibits significant variation across human developmental stages.
- Understanding age-related bone changes is crucial for interpreting skeletal remains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate growth-related alterations in human rib cortical and trabecular bone microstructure.
- To compare micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) findings with conventional histomorphometry.
Main Methods:
- Micro-CT scans of mid-shaft thoracic ribs from 18 known-age individuals (birth to 21 years).
- Quantitative analysis of bone parameters including total area, cortical area, thickness, diameters, pore density, and trabecular properties.
- Comparison with existing histomorphometry data from the same sample.
Main Results:
- Positive correlations between age and total area, cortical area, cortical thickness, and rib diameters.
- Increasing pore density and trabecular thickness with age; decreasing trabecular separation.
- Decreasing trabecular bone pattern factor, structural model index, and connectivity density with age.
- No significant sex-based differences identified for any measured variables.
Conclusions:
- Human rib bone microstructure undergoes substantial age-dependent changes from infancy to young adulthood.
- Diagenetic alterations can impact bone mineral density (BMD) reliability in paleopathological studies.
- Cortical porosity is influenced more by resorption spaces than osteon canals.
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