Forensic age-at-death estimation using the sternal junction in Thai adults: an autopsy study

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Human Osteology
• Age Estimation

Background:

• Accurate age estimation from skeletal remains is crucial in forensic anthropology.
• The sternum's fusion patterns have been proposed as an indicator of age.
• Variability in sternal fusion may impact its reliability across different populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between age and sternal fusion status in the Thai population.
• To assess the utility of manubrio-sternal and sterno-xiphoidal joint fusion for age estimation.
• To determine if sternal fusion patterns differ between sexes and age groups.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 184 sterna from known-age Thai cadavers (94 female, 90 male).
• Direct observation and classification of manubrio-sternal and sterno-xiphoidal joint fusion (unfused vs. fused).
• Analysis of fusion rates across different age ranges and sexes.

Main Results:

• A significant proportion of sterna remained unfused throughout adulthood in both sexes.
• Fusion was observed in both younger and older individuals, indicating high variability.
• No fusion of manubrio-sternal and sterno-xiphoidal junctions was observed in females under 30 and males under 32 years.
• Insignificant differences in fusion rates were found between sexes and across age groups.

Conclusions:

• Sternal fusion alone has a very limited role in age estimation for the Thai population.
• The high variability in sternal fusion patterns necessitates caution when using this parameter in forensic cases.
• Further research may be needed to identify more reliable skeletal indicators for age estimation in this demographic.