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Technical note: age estimation by using pubic bone densitometry according to a twofold mode of CT measurement

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Abstract

In forensic anthropology, age estimation is a major element in the determination of a biological profile and the identification of individuals. Thus, many anatomical structures have been studied, such as the pubic symphysis, which is a source of major interest due to its late maturation. One of the most well-known methods of assessment is the Suchey-Brooks (SB) system based on the morphological characteristics of the pubic symphysis. The aim of this study was to propose linear regression formulae in order to deduce chronological age from bone density, using both Hounsfield unit (HU), and mean bone density (mBD) values of the pubic symphysis. Moreover, we intended to test the reliability and then to explore the feasibility of using HU instead of mBD values for age estimation. We built retrospectively a reference sample of 400 pubic symphyses using computed tomography at a French hospital and a test sample of 120 pubic symphyses. Equations were created to establish linear regression models for age estimation. Inaccuracy and bias were calculated for individuals aged more or less than 40 years. We highlighted homogeneous mean absolute errors for both HU and mBD values, most of them being less than 10 years. Moreover, we reported a moderate overestimation for younger individuals and a very small underestimation for older individuals. This study proposes a correlation between the bone density and age of individuals with a valuable level of reliability. Finally, HU measurements seem to be suitable for linking bone density with the age of individuals in forensic practice.

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Notes

  1. This method defines a stable bone equivalent material used as a bone reference standard to calibrate all scanning systems.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to particularly thank Mrs. Agathe BASCOU and Mrs. Eulalie PEFFERKORN, students in physical anthropology at the University of Toulouse (Paul Sabatier), for participating in this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Anthropologie Moléculaire et d’Imagerie de Synthèse, Université Toulouse III, AMIS FRE 2960 CNRS, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31000, Toulouse, France

    Olivier Dubourg, Marie Faruch-Bilfeld, Norbert Telmon, Frédéric Savall & Pauline Saint-Martin

  2. UNAM, Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 4 rue Larrey, 49933, Angers Cedex 9, France

    Olivier Dubourg

  3. Institut de l’appareil locomoteur, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Purpan, Bâtiment Pierre Paul Riquet, place du Dr Baylac, TSA, 40031, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    Marie Faruch-Bilfeld

  4. Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Rangueil, 1 avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    Norbert Telmon & Frédéric Savall

  5. Institut Médico-Légal, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, 37044, Tours Cedex 9, France

    Pauline Saint-Martin

Authors
  1. Olivier Dubourg
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  2. Marie Faruch-Bilfeld
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  3. Norbert Telmon
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  4. Frédéric Savall
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  5. Pauline Saint-Martin
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Contributions

Olivier Dubourg: conceptualization, writing–original draft, formal analysis, investigation. Marie Faruch-Bilfeld: resources, software. Norbert Telmon: supervision, validation, project administration. Pauline Saint-Martin: methodology, investigation, validation, writing–reviewing and editing. Frédéric Savall: methodology, conceptualization, validation, formal analysis, writing–reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Olivier Dubourg.

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Dubourg, O., Faruch-Bilfeld, M., Telmon, N. et al. Technical note: age estimation by using pubic bone densitometry according to a twofold mode of CT measurement. Int J Legal Med 134, 2275–2281 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02349-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02349-2

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