Age estimation in the living: cervical ring apophysis development in a Turkish sample using CT

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Radiology
• Human Biology

Background:

• Accurate age estimation is crucial for undocumented individuals, particularly migrants.
• Existing age indicators are limited, and human variation necessitates specialized methods.
• The critical age of 18 years is a common legal threshold requiring reliable assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel age estimation method based on the apophyseal development of cervical vertebrae 2, 3, and 4.
• To determine the likelihood of individuals being 18 years or older based on these developmental stages.
• To compare age estimation patterns in a Turkish population with existing data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized computed tomography (CT) scans from a large sample (n=1276) of Turkish individuals.
• Assessed the developmental stages of apophyseal development in cervical vertebrae C2, C3, and C4.
• Calculated the probability of individuals reaching 18 years of age at each developmental stage.

Main Results:

• Likelihood of being at least 18 years was near zero for stages 0-2 in both sexes.
• By stage 4, likelihoods reached 65-70% in females and 81-90% in males, depending on the vertebra.
• Turkish individuals showed earlier development compared to South Africans, but lower probabilities at stage 4 due to prolonged stage 3 presence.

Conclusions:

• The cervical vertebrae apophyseal development method is a valuable tool for age estimation in living individuals.
• CT scans offer good visualization, but radiation dose is a consideration for forensic applications.
• This method, despite variability, enhances forensic age assessment capabilities, particularly around the age of majority.