title: Evaluation of an automatic method for forensic age estimation by magnetic resonance imaging of the distal tibial epiphysis--a preliminary study focusing on the 18-year threshold.
abstract: The contribution of magnetic resonance imaging to forensic age estimation of living individuals is a subject of ongoing research. Several studies have focused on the wrist, clavicle, knee, and foot, and shown interesting results regarding the 18-year threshold. Authors have developed various staging systems for epiphyseal growth plate maturation. However, the procedure is observer-dependent and requires experience and a certain time-learning process. To reduce these pitfalls, we have developed an automatic method based on the analysis of variations of gray levels within the epiphyseal-metaphyseal junction. This method was tested on 160 MRI scans of the distal tibial epiphysis in a sample of individuals aged from 8 to 25 years old, after intensity non-uniformity correction of all images. Results showed that in our sample, 97.4 % of males and 93.9 % of females aged 18 years or more would be correctly classified using this method. To our knowledge, automatic methods for MRI analysis have not been used in the field of age estimation yet. Further studies should be performed to assess the validity of this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse, AMIS UMR 5288 CNRS, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31073, Toulouse Cedex, France, p.saint-martin@chu-tours.fr.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saint-Martin
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rérolle
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dedouit
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rougé
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Telmon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D001331:Automation; D002648:Child; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013977:Tibia / Q000254:growth & development*; D055815:Young Adult