Age-at-death estimation based on the macroscopic examination of spheno-occipital sutures.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the closure degree of spheno-occipital synchondrosis and its relationship with chronological age.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of the closure degree of spheno-occipital suture was done through direct inspection of 376 autopsies from both sexes whose ages ranged between 8 and 26 years in Legal Medicine Organization of Tehran, Iran from 1st of July 2007 to 1st of July 2009. The correlation between the degree of closure and chronological age was investigated.


RESULTS
Mean ages of open, semi-closed and closed sutures were 12.27, 16.12 and 21.17 years in males, and 9.04, 12.38 and 19.44 in females, respectively. Seemingly, their difference was significant (p < 0.001). Partial fusion (semi-closed) was seen at the age of 12 in both sexes while complete fusion (closed) was seen at 15 year olds or above in males and 12 year olds or above in females. Spearman's correlation ratio coefficient showed a linear correlation between age and suture situation in both sexes (rho = 0.788, P < 0.001 in males and r = 0.645, P < 0.001 in females).


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed that the closure degree of spheno-occipital suture can be used as a good indicator for age estimation in both sexes. Cadavers can be correctly grouped above or below 16 years old with sensitivity of 79.82% and specificity of 89.47% in males and above or below 13 years old with sensitivity of 100.00% and specificity of 81.58% in females.
Akhlaghi
Mitra
M
Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Taghaddosinejad
Fakhredin
F
Sheikhazadi
Ardeshir
A
Valizadeh
Behzad
B
Shojaei
Seyed Mohsen Rezazadeh
SM
D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods; D002102:Cadaver; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult