Estimation of gestational age from tooth germs: Biometric study of DentaScan images.
The few available studies on fetal age estimation concern very small samples, and statistical analysis is sometimes inadequate. In this survey, we used germs of deciduous teeth to estimate fetal age. Forty-nine fetuses and 40 mandibles were scanned, and observations and measurements were made on DentaScan images. After checking their repeatability and reproducibility (analysis of variance), we defined thresholds using Fisher's linear discriminant analysis to calculate the probability that a fetus was over or below a predefined age threshold. The forensic threshold which is of particular interest in France is 22 weeks amenorrhea. Relationships between fetal age and deciduous germ measurements were then sought by multiple linear regression. The thresholds gave very good results: 91.84% of good probability for the threshold of 22 weeks amenorrhea with no chance of error. The most precise age evaluation obtained nevertheless gave a range of ±4.6 weeks amenorrhea, so greater accuracy is still needed.
Lalys
Loïc
L
CNRS UPR 2147, Dynamique de l'Evolution Humaine: Individus, Populations, Espèces. 44 rue de l'Amiral Mouchez, 75014 Paris, France.
Ruquet
Michel
M
Tardivo
Delphine
D
Laibi
Salim
S
Bartoli
Christophe
C
Adalian
Pascal
P
Panuel
Michel
M
Leonetti
Georges
G
Foti
Bruno
B
D000366:Age Determination by Teeth / Q000379:methods; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005333:Fetus; D005553:Forensic Dentistry / Q000379:methods; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*