title: The contribution of Micro-CT to the evaluation of trabecular bone at the posterior part of the auricular surface in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT), Barrier et al. described the disappearance at the posterior auricular surface of a "central line" (CL) and "juxtalinear cells" (JLCs) belonging to a trabecular bundle, and a trabecular density gradient around the CL that decreased with age. The aim of our study was to use micro-CT to test these findings, referring to the concept of Ascadi and Nemeskeri.
  
  
  METHODS
  The coxal bones of fifteen males were used; age was known. CLs were identified on MSCT-sections using Barrier's method (64 detectors, 0.6 mm slice thickness, 0.1 mm overlap) with two different software programs (Synapse®, Amira®). Then, CLs were researched on microCT slices (pixel size: 36 μm). Three volumes of interest were defined (around, above, and below CL), and 3D morphometric parameters of the trabecular microarchitecture (particularly BV/TV and DA) were calculated. Two-tailed statistical analyses were performed attempting to correlate these parameters with age at death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CLs and JLCs were observed on micro-CT slices, but with moderate agreement between both imaging techniques. Their presence was not correlated with the age of the subjects. Around the CL, BV/TV decreased significantly with age; DA was negatively correlated with BV/TV and had a tendency to increase with age. Between areas above and below the CL, there was a BV/TV gradient and both BV/TVs decreased in parallel with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings regarding the contribution of micro-CT to the evaluation of trabecular bone could be a promising research approach for application in a larger study population.
authors.affiliation: CHU Angers, Department of Forensic Medicine, LUNAM Université, Angers Cedex, France. celinedeguette@free.fr.|GEROM Groupe Etudes Remodelage Osseux et bioMatériaux, LUNAM Université, IRIS-IBS Institut de Biologie en Santé, CHU d'Angers, 49933, Angers Cedex, France. celinedeguette@free.fr.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deguette
authors.affiliation: GEROM Groupe Etudes Remodelage Osseux et bioMatériaux, LUNAM Université, IRIS-IBS Institut de Biologie en Santé, CHU d'Angers, 49933, Angers Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chappard
authors.affiliation: GEROM Groupe Etudes Remodelage Osseux et bioMatériaux, LUNAM Université, IRIS-IBS Institut de Biologie en Santé, CHU d'Angers, 49933, Angers Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Libouban
authors.affiliation: AP-HP, Department of Psychiatry, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Ouest, Paris, France.|Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Airagnes
authors.affiliation: CHU Angers, Department of Forensic Medicine, LUNAM Université, Angers Cedex, France.|GEROM Groupe Etudes Remodelage Osseux et bioMatériaux, LUNAM Université, IRIS-IBS Institut de Biologie en Santé, CHU d'Angers, 49933, Angers Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rouge-Maillart
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de synthèse, Université Paul Sabatier, FRE 2960CNRS, Toulouse Cedex, France.|Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Toulouse Rangueil, Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Telmon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D000071556:Cancellous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
keywords: Age at death; Auricular surface; Forensic anthropology; Forensic science; MSCT; Micro-CT; Trabecular bone