title: Reliability of the Suchey-Brooks method for a French contemporary population.
abstract: The Suchey-Brooks method is commonly used for pubic symphyseal aging in forensic cases. However, inter-population variability is a problem affected by several factors such as geographical location and secular trends. The aim of our study was to test the reliability of the Suchey-Brooks method on a virtual sample of contemporary French males. We carried out a retrospective study of 680 pubic symphysis from adult males undergoing clinical Multislice Computed Tomography in two hospitals between January 2013 and July 2014 (Toulouse and Tours, France). The reliability of the Suchey-Brooks method was tested by the calculation of inaccuracy and bias between real and estimated ages, and the mean age for each stage and the mean stage for each 10-years age interval were compared. The degree of inaccuracy and bias increased with age and inaccuracy exceeded 20 years for individuals over 65 years of age. The results are consistent with an overestimation of the real age for stages I and II and an underestimation of the real age for stages IV, V and VI. Furthermore, the mean stages of the reference sample were significantly lower for the 14-25 age group and significantly higher for individuals over 35 years old. Age estimation is potentially limited by differential inter-population error rates between geographical locations. Furthermore, the effects of secular trends are also supported by research in European countries showing a reduction in the age of attainment of indicators of biological maturity during the past few decades. The results suggest that the Suchey-Brooks method should be used with caution in France. Our study supports previous findings and in the future, the Suchey-Brooks method could benefit from re-evaluation of the aging standards by the establishment of new virtual reference samples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: fredsavall@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Savall
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Trousseau, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-lès-Tours, France.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rérolle
authors.affiliation: UMR 1027, Epidémiologie et analyses en santé publique, Faculté de médecine, 37 allées J. Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hérin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France; Service de Radiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dédouit
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rougé
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Telmon
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie AMIS, UMR 5288 CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France; Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Trousseau, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-lès-Tours, France.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saint-Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age estimation; Forensic Anthropology Population Data; Pubic symphysis; Reference sample; Suchey-Brooks method