title: Introducing Computed Tomography Standards for Age Estimation of Modern Australian Subadults Using Postnatal Ossification Timings of Select Cranial and Cervical Sites(.).
abstract: Contemporary, population-specific ossification timings of the cranium are lacking in current literature due to challenges in obtaining large repositories of documented subadult material, forcing Australian practitioners to rely on North American, arguably antiquated reference standards for age estimation. This study assessed the temporal pattern of ossification of the cranium and provides recalibrated probabilistic information for age estimation of modern Australian children. Fusion status of the occipital and frontal bones, atlas, and axis was scored using a modified two- to four-tier system from cranial/cervical DICOM datasets of 585 children aged birth to 10 years. Transition analysis was applied to elucidate maximum-likelihood estimates between consecutive fusion stages, in conjunction with Bayesian statistics to calculate credible intervals for age estimation. Results demonstrate significant sex differences in skeletal maturation (p < 0.05) and earlier timings in comparison with major literary sources, underscoring the requisite of updated standards for age estimation of modern individuals.
authors.affiliation: Skeletal Biology and Forensic Anthropology Research Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicolene
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lottering
authors.affiliation: Skeletal Biology and Forensic Anthropology Research Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: MacGregor
authors.affiliation: Social and Behavioural Research College, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Queensland, 4122, Australia.
authors.forename: Clair L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Alston
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, The Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Skeletal Biology and Forensic Anthropology Research Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Gregory
mesh_terms: D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001315:Australia; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D010012:Osteogenesis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Australia; Bayesian statistics; age estimation; atlas; axis; computed tomography; cranial maturation; forensic anthropology; forensic science; metopic suture; occipital bone; ossification timings; transition analysis