TY - JOUR
T1 - Histomorphometric age estimation from the femoral cortex
T2 - A test of three methods in an Australian population
AU - Maggio, Ariane
AU - Franklin, Daniel
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - Histological methods can be used forensically to estimate age-at-death based on patterns of change in osteon shape, size, and population density, all of which result from the continuous process of bone remodelling. The present study examines the applicability of three existing histological age-at-death estimation methods as applied to an Australian population of known age and sex. Microradiographs from 50 mid-shaft femora thin sections, equally divided by sex, were obtained from the Melbourne Femur Reference Collection (MFRC); stated chronological age-at-death is 18 to 88 years. Osteon shape metrics are measured using ImageJ and the age-at-death prediction formulae of i) Singh and Gunberg, ii) Keough et al., and iii) Goliath et al. are applied. The relationship between estimated and actual age-at-death is then statistically quantified. All three formulae demonstrate pooled and sex-specific SEE values in excess of 20 years: i) pooled ±22.92 (♂±20.91, ♀±25.20); ii) ±20.79 (♂±20.96, ♀±21.05); and iii) ±35.43 (♂±32.68, ♀±38.66). When individuals under 40 years of age were excluded from the analysis, only two of the methods demonstrated increased accuracy: i) pooled ±20.87 (♂ ±17.47, ♀ ±23.70); ii) pooled ±18.21 (♂±16.51, ♀±19.90); and iii) pooled ±41.18 (♂ ±40.12, ♀ 43.05). The present study represents a preliminary investigation of the accuracy of existing histological age-at-death standards applied in an Australian population of known age.
AB - Histological methods can be used forensically to estimate age-at-death based on patterns of change in osteon shape, size, and population density, all of which result from the continuous process of bone remodelling. The present study examines the applicability of three existing histological age-at-death estimation methods as applied to an Australian population of known age and sex. Microradiographs from 50 mid-shaft femora thin sections, equally divided by sex, were obtained from the Melbourne Femur Reference Collection (MFRC); stated chronological age-at-death is 18 to 88 years. Osteon shape metrics are measured using ImageJ and the age-at-death prediction formulae of i) Singh and Gunberg, ii) Keough et al., and iii) Goliath et al. are applied. The relationship between estimated and actual age-at-death is then statistically quantified. All three formulae demonstrate pooled and sex-specific SEE values in excess of 20 years: i) pooled ±22.92 (♂±20.91, ♀±25.20); ii) ±20.79 (♂±20.96, ♀±21.05); and iii) ±35.43 (♂±32.68, ♀±38.66). When individuals under 40 years of age were excluded from the analysis, only two of the methods demonstrated increased accuracy: i) pooled ±20.87 (♂ ±17.47, ♀ ±23.70); ii) pooled ±18.21 (♂±16.51, ♀±19.90); and iii) pooled ±41.18 (♂ ±40.12, ♀ 43.05). The present study represents a preliminary investigation of the accuracy of existing histological age-at-death standards applied in an Australian population of known age.
KW - Age estimation
KW - Bone histology
KW - Forensic anthropology population data
KW - Forensic histology
KW - Histomorphometry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85072251293&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.109950
DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.109950
M3 - Article
C2 - 31542400
VL - 303
JO - Forensic Science International
JF - Forensic Science International
SN - 0379-0738
M1 - 109950
ER -