Forensic age estimation in living subjects based on ultrasound examination of the ossification of the olecranon.
Radiation-free imaging procedures for the purposes of forensic age diagnosis are highly desirable, especially for children. With this in mind, the stage of ossification of the olecranon was prospectively determined in 309 male and 307 female healthy volunteers aged between 10 and 25 years, based on ultrasound. A four-stage classification system was used for this purpose. This stage classification system takes into account whether an isolated secondary ossification centre, an epiphyseal cartilage or an epiphysis which is completely fused with the diaphysis can be detected. The earliest observation of stage 2 was at 10.0 years in males and 10.1 years in females. Both findings are determined by the lower age limit of the sample and are thus not representative of the minimum age for ossification stage 2. Stage 3 was first noticed at age 13.5 years in males and 10.6 years in females. Stage 4 was first reached at age 13.7 years in males and 12.3 years in females. Hence, in our sample, ossification stage 3 can be seen as evidence that females have reached the age of 10 years and males the age of 13 years. In our sample, stage 4 provides evidence that a female individual has reached the age of 12 years. It was concluded that the results of our study should be validated using other samples.
Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Ronald
R
Schulz
Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Manfred
M
Schiborr
Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Heidi
H
Pfeiffer
Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Sven
S
Schmidt
Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.schmeling@ukmuenster.de.
Andreas
A
Schmeling
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056740:Olecranon Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D054881:Sex Determination by Skeleton; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
Age estimation; Forensic anthropology; Olecranon; Ossification; Ultrasound