Abstract
Radiology has demonstrated great utility for age estimation, but most of the studies are based on metrical and morphological methods in order to perform an identification profile. A simple image analysis-based method is presented, aimed to correlate the bony tissue ultrastructure with several variables obtained from the grey-level histogram (GLH) of computed tomography (CT) sagittal sections of the pubic symphysis surface and the pubic body, and relating them with age. The CT sample consisted of 169 hospital Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) archives of known sex and age. The calculated multiple regression models showed a maximum R 2 of 0.533 for females and 0.726 for males, with a high intra- and inter-observer agreement. The method suggested is considered not only useful for performing an identification profile during virtopsy, but also for application in further studies in order to attach a quantitative correlation for tissue ultrastructure characteristics, without complex and expensive methods beyond image analysis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ritz-Timme S, Cattaneo C, Collins MJ, Waite ER, Schutz HW, Kaatsch HJ, Borrman HI (2000) Age estimation: the state of the art in relation to the specific demands of forensic practice. Int J Legal Med 113:129–136
Rosing FW, Graw M, Marrè B, Ritz-Timme S, Rotschild MA, Rotzscher K, Schmeling A, Schroder I, Geserick G (2007) Recommendations for the forensic diagnosis of sex and age from skeletons. Homo 58:75–89
Schmeling A, Geserick G, Reisinger W, Olze A (2007) Age estimation. Forensic Sci Int 165:178–181
Schmeling A, Grundman C, Fuhrman A, Kaatsch HJ, Knell B, Ramsthaler F, Reisinger W, Riepert T, Ritz-Timme S, Rosing FW, Rotzscher K, Geserick G (2008) Criteria for age estimation in living individuals. Int J Legal Med 122:457–460
Cunha E, Baccino E, Martrille L, Ramsthaler F, Prieto J, Schuliar Y, Lynnerup N, Cattaneo C (2009) The problem of aging human remains and living individuals. Forensic Sci Int 193:1–13
Cattaneo C, Baccino E (2002) A call for forensic anthropology in Europe. Int J Legal Med 116:N1–N2
Baccino E (2005) Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe: a subsection of the IALM. Int J Legal Med 119:N1
Dedouit F, Savall F, Mokrane FZ, Rousseau H, Crubézy E, Rougé D, Telmon N (2014) Virtual anthropology and forensic identification using multidetector CT. Br J Radiol. doi:10.1259/bjr.20130468
Telmon N, Gaston A, Chemla P, Blanc A, Joffre F, Rougé D (2005) Application of the Suchey-Brooks method to three-dimensional imaging of the pubic symphysis. J Forensic Sci 50:507–512
Pasquier E, Pernot LS, Burdin V, Mounayer C, Le Rest C, Colin D, Mottier D, Roux C, Baccino E (1999) Determination of age at death: assessment of an algorithm of age prediction using numerical three-dimensional CT data from pubic bones. Am J Phys Anthropol 108:261–268
Dedouit F, Bindel S, Gainza D, Blanc A, Joffre F, Rougé D, Telmon N (2008) Application of the Iscan method to two- and three-dimensional imaging of the sternal end of the right fourth rib. J Forensic Sci 53:288–295
Harth S, Obert M, Ramsthaler F, Reuß C, Traupe H, Verhoff MA (2009) Estimating age by assessing the ossification degree of cranial sutures with the aid of flat-panel-CT. Leg Med 11(Suppl 1):S186–S189
Kreitner KF, Schweden F, Schild HH, Riepert T, Nafe B (1997) Computerized tomography of the epiphyseal union of the medial clavicle: an auxiliary method of age determination during adolescence and the 3rd decade of life? Rofo Fortschr Geb Rontgenstr Neuen Bildgeb Verfahr 166:481–486
Kreitner KF, Schweden FJ, Riepert T, Nafe B, Thelen M (1998) Bone age determination based on the study of the medial extremity of the clavicle. Eur Radiol 8:1116–1122
Schmeling A, Schultz R, Reisinger W, Mühler M, Wernecke KD, Geserick G (2004) Studies on the time frame for ossification of the medial clavicular epiphyseal cartilage in conventional radiography. Int J Legal Med 118:5–8
Schulz R, Muhler M, Mutze S, Schmidt S, Reisinger W, Schmeling A (2005) Studies on the time frame for ossification of the medial epiphysis of the clavicle as revealed by CT scans. Int J Legal Med 119:142–145
Schulze D, Rother U, Fuhrmann A, Richel S, Faulman G, Heiland M (2006) Correlation of age and ossification of the medial clavicular epiphysis using computed tomography. Forensic Sci Int 158:184–189
Mühler M, Schulz R, Schmidt S, Schmeling A, Reisinger W (2006) The influence of slice thickness on assessment of clavicle ossification in forensic age diagnosis. Int J Legal Med 120:15–17
El-Barghouty N, Geroulakos G, Nicolaides A, Androulakis A, Bahal V (1995) Computer-assisted carotid plaque characterization. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 9:389–393
El-Barghouty N, Nicolaides A, Bahal V, Geroulakos G, Androulakis A (1996) The identification of the high risk carotid plaque. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 11:470–478
Falkowsky A, Kaczmarczyk M, Ciechanowicz A, Goracy I, Poncyljusz W, Wilk G (2004) Computer-assisted characterization of a carotid plaque. Med Sci Monit 10(Suppl 3):67–70
Batisse D, Giron F, Lévêque JL (2006) Capacitance imaging of the skin surface. Skin Res Technol 12:99–104
Bittar-Cortez JA, Passeri LA, Bóscolo FN, Haiter-Neto F (2006) Comparison of hard tissue density changes around implants assessed in digitized conventional radiographs and subtraction images. Clin Oral Implant Res 17:560–564
Thali MJ, Yen K, Schweitzer W, Vock P, Boesch C, Ozdoba C, Schroth G, Ith M, Sonnenschein M, Doernhoefer T, Scheurer E, Plattner T, Dirnhofer R (2003) Virtopsy, a new imaging horizon in forensic pathology: virtual autopsy by postmortem multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): a feasibility study. J Forensic Sci 48:386–403
Thali MJ, Jackowsky C, Oesterhelweg L, Ross SG, Dirnhofer R (2007) VIRTOPSY: The Swiss virtual autopsy approach. Leg Med 9:100–104
Yamakazi K, Shiotani S, Ohasi N, Doi M, Kikuchi K, Nagata C, Honda K (2006) Comparison between computed tomography (CT) and autopsy findings in cases of abdominal injury and disease. Forensic Sci Int 162:163–166
Yen K, Thali MJ, Aghayeb E, Jackowski C, Schweitzer W, Boesch C, Vock P, Dirnhofer R, Sonnenschein M (2005) Strangulation signs: initial correlation of MRI. MSCT and forensic neck findings. J Magn Reson Imaging 22:501–510
Myers JC, Okoye MI, Kiple D, Kimmerle EH, Reinhard KJ (1999) Three-dimensional (3D) imaging in post-mortem examinations: Elucidation and identification of cranial and facial fractures in victims of homicide utilizing 3D computerized imaging reconstruction techniques. Int J Legal Med 113:33–37
Jackowsky C, Thali MJ, Sonnenschein M, Aghayeb E, Yen K, Dirnhofer R (2005) Adipocere in postmortem imaging using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Am J Forensic Med Pathol 26:360–364
Dirnhofer R, Jackowsky C, Vock P, Potter K, Thali MJ (2006) Virtopsy: minimally invasive, imaging-guided virtual autopsy. Radiographics 26:1305–1336
Dedouit F, Telmon N, Guilbeau-Frugier C, Gainza D, Otal P, Joffre F, Rougé D (2007) Virtual autopsy and forensic identification—practical application: a report of one case. J Forensic Sci 52:960–964
Thali MJ, Braun M, Buck U, Aghayeb E, Jackowsky C, Vock P, Sonnenschein M, Dirnhofer R (2005) Virtopsy—scientific documentation, reconstruction and animation in forensic: Individual and real 3D data based geo-metric approach including optical body/object surface and radiological CT/MRI scanning. J Forensic Sci 50:428–442
Knopke A, Bischot A, Jensen MT (2005) (Accessed 20 Mar 2014). K-Pacs [on line]. Web: http://www.k-pacs.de/
Ballina García FJ (2002) Los factores de riesgo de la artrosis. En: Sociedad Española de Reumatología. Manual S.E.R. de la Artrosis. IM&C, Madrid, pp 121–135
Gelber AC, Hochberg MC, Mead LA, Wang NY, Wigley FM, Klag MJ (2000) Joint injury in young adults and risk for subsequent knee and hip osteoarthritis. Ann Intern Med 133:321–328
Rasband WS (1997-2012) ImageJ 1.33 edn. US National Health Institute, Bethesda, MD [on line]. Web: http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
Gonzalez RC, Woods RE (2007) Digital image processing, 3rd edn. Upper Saddle River, Prentice-Hall
Long B (2011) Fotografía digital, Edición 2011. Anaya Multimedia, Madrid
Sen D, Pal SK (2011) Automatic exact histogram specification for contrast enhancement and visual system based quantitative evaluation. IEEE Trans Image Process 20:1211–1220
García Pérez A (2008) Estadística aplicada: Conceptos básicos, 2ª Edición. Librería UNED, Madrid
Batanero C, Tauber L, Sánchez MV (2001) Significado y comprensión de la distribución normal en un curso introductorio de análisis de datos. Quadrante 10:59–92
Kisbye P (2010) Test de Kolmogorov-Smirnov [on line]. Web: http://www.famaf.unc.edu.ar/~kisbye/mys/clase17_pr.pdf. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
SPSS® (2003) SPSS Modelos de regresión™ 12.0. Chicago: SPSS Inc
Kessler M - Departamento de matemática aplicada y estadística de la Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (2003) Ajuste por mínimos cuadrados (2) [on line]. Web: http://filemon.upct.es/~mathieu/organizacion/practicas/practregmult2.pdf. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
Moral Peláez I (2006) Modelos de regresión: Lineal simple y regresión logística [on line]. Web: http://www.revistaseden.org/files/14-CAP%2014.pdf. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
Aguayo Canela M (2007) Cómo realizar “paso a paso” un contraste de hipótesis con SPSS© para Windows y alternativamente con EPIINFO y EPIDAT: (II) Asociación entre una variable cuantitativa y una categórica (comparación de medias entre dos o más grupos independientes) [on line]. Web: http://www.fabis.org/html/archivos/docuweb/contraste_hipotesis_2r.pdf. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
Arranz JM, Zamora MM (2002) Análisis de autocorrelación [on line]. Web: http://ciberconta.unizar.es/Leccion/autocorrelacion/analisis%20de%20autocorrelacion.PDF. (Accessed 20 Mar 2014)
Landis JR, Koch GG (1977) The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics 33:159–174
Kvaal SI, Kolltveit KM, Thomsen IO, Solheim T (1995) Age estimation of adults from dental radiographs. Forensic Sci Int 74:175–185
Cameriere R, Ferrante L, Cingolani M (2004) Variations in pulp/tooth area ratio as an indicator of age: a preliminary study. J Forensic Sci 49:317–319
Cameriere R, Brogi G, Ferrante L, Mirtella D, Vultaggio C, Cingolani M, Fornaciari G (2006) Reliability in age determination by pulp/tooth ratio in upper canines in skeletal remains. J Forensic Sci 51:861–864
Cameriere R, Ferrante L, Belcastro MG, Bonfiglioli B, Rastelli E, Cingolani M (2007) Age estimation by pulp/tooth ratio in canines by mesial and vestibular periapical X-Rays. J Forensic Sci 52:1551–1555
Cattaneo C, De Angelis D, Ruspa M, Gibelli D, Cameriere R, Grandi M (2008) How old am I? Age estimation in living adults: a case report. J Forensic Odontostomatol 27:39–43
Barrier P, Dedouit F, Braga J, Joffre F, Rougé D, Rousseau H, Telmon N (2009) Age at death estimation using multislice computed tomography reconstructions of the posterior pelvis. J Forensic Sci 54:773–778
Brooks ST (1955) Skeletal age at death: Reliability of cranial and pubic age indicators. Am J Phys Anthropol 13:567–597
Brooks ST, Suchey JM (1990) Skeletal age determination based on the pubis: a comparison of the Acsádi-Nemeskéri and Suchey-Brooks methods. Hum Evol 5:227–238
Iscan MY, Loth SR, Wright RK (1984) Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white males. J Forensic Sci 29:1094–1104
Iscan MY, Loth SR, Wright RK (1985) Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white females. J Forensic Sci 30:853–863
Iscan MY, Loth SR, Wright RK (1987) Racial variation in the sternal extremity of the rib and its effect on age determination. J Forensic Sci 32:452–466
Lamendin H (1973) Observations on teeth roots in the estimation of age. Int J Forensic Dent 1:4–7
Lamendin H, Baccino E, Humpert JF, Tavernier JC, Nossintchouk RM, Zerilli A (1993) A simple technique for age estimation in adult corpses: the two criteria dental method. J Forensic Sci 37:1373–1379
Baccino E, Zerilli A (1997) The two step strategy (TSS) or the right way to combine a dental (Lamedin) and anthropological (Suchey-Brooks system) method for age determination. En: Proceedings of the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, New York (NY) and Colorado Springs (CO). American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 17-22
Nemeskéri J, Harsanyi L, Acsádi G (1960) Methoden zur diagnose des lebensalters von skelettfunden. Anthropol Anz 24:70–95
Masset C (1982) Estimation de l'âge au décès par les sutures crâniennes. Thèse de Sciences Naturelles, Multigraphée. Université Paris VII
Baker RK (1984) The relationship of cranial suture closure and age analyzed in modern multi-racial sample of males and females. Thesis for the Degree Master of Arts in Anthropology, California States University
Meindl RS, Lovejoy CO (1985) Ectocranial suture closure: a revised method for the determination of skeletal age at death based on the lateral-anterior sutures. Am J Phys Anthropol 68:57–66
Lovejoy CO, Meindl RS, Pryzbeck TR, Mensforth RP (1985) Chronological metamorphosis of the auricular surface of the ilium: a new method for the determination of adult skeletal age at death. Am J Phys Anthropol 68:15–28
Ferrant O, Rougé-Maillart C, Guittet L, Papin F, Clin B, Fau G, Telmon N (2009) Age at death estimation of adult males using coxal bone and CT scan: a preliminary study. Forensic Sci Int 186:14–21
Villa C, Hansen MN, Buckberry J, Cattaneo C, Lynnerup N (2013) Forensic age estimation based on the trabecular bone changes of the pelvic bone using post-mortem CT. Forensic Sci Int 233:393–402
Wade A, Nelson A, Garvin G, Holdsworth W (2011) Preliminary radiological assessment of age-related change in trabecular structure of the human os pubis. J Forensic Sci 56:312–319
Obert M, Kubelt C, Schaaf T, Dassinger B, Grams A, Gizewski ER, Krombach GA, Verhoff MA (2013) Aging skull remains through radiological density estimates: a comparison of different computed tomography systems and the use of computer simulations to judge the accuracy of results. Forensic Sci Int 228:179.e1–7
Cho H, Stout SD, Madsen RW, Streeter MA (2002) Population-specific histological age-estimating method: a model for known African-American and European-American skeletal remains. J Forensic Sci 47:12–18
Boel LW, Boldsen JL, Melsen F (2007) Double lamellae in trabecular osteons: towards a new method for age estimation by bone microscopy. Homo 58:269–277
Kerley ER, Ubelaker DH (1978) Revisions in the microscopic method of estimating age at death in human cortical bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 49:545–546
Stout SD, Stanley SC (1991) Percent osteonal bone versus osteon counts: The variable of choice for estimating age at death. Am J Phys Anthropol 86:515–519
Cool SM, Hendrikz JK, Wood WB (1995) Microscopic age changes in the human occipital bone. J Forensic Sci 40:781–796
Ohtani S (1998) Rate of aspartic acid racemization in bone. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 19:284–287
Ritz-Timme S, Schutz HW, Collins MJ (1999) Evaluation of aspartic acid racemization ratios in the human femur for age estimation. J Forensic Sci 44:874–876
Ohtani S, Matsushima Y, Kobayashi Y, Yamamoto T (2002) Age estimation by measuring the racemization of aspartic acid from total amino acid content of several types of bone and rib cartilage: a preliminary account. J Forensic Sci 47:32–36
Ohtani S, Yamada Y, Yamamoto T, Arany S, Gonmori K, Yoshioka N (2004) Comparison of age estimated from degree of racemization of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine in the femur. J Forensic Sci 49:441–445
Ohtani S, Abe I, Yamamoto T (2005) An Application of D- and L-aspartic acid mixture as standard specimens for the chronological age estimation. J Forensic Sci 50:1298–1302
López-Alcaraz M, Garamendi González PM, Alemán Aguilera I, Botella López M (2013) Image analysis of pubic bone for sex determination in a computed tomography sample. Int J Legal Med 127:1145–1155
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Marta, the one who inspired this study; to Fernando Navarro, a great friend and forensic anthropologist, for his wise advises; and to the Central Health Services of Castilla la Mancha (SESCAM), for providing samples when no one else was willing.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
López-Alcaraz, M., González, P.M.G., Aguilera, I.A. et al. Image analysis of pubic bone for age estimation in a computed tomography sample. Int J Legal Med 129, 335–346 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-1034-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-1034-9