[Forensic medical determination of the age based on the analysis of CT-scanograms of the skull and the craniovertebral region in the sagittal projection]

Sud Med Ekspert. 2018;61(1):21-27. doi: 10.17116/sudmed201861121-27.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the biological age of the unrecognized individuals based on the analysis of CT-scanograms of the skull and the craniovertebral region in the sagittal projection. We investigated the structure of the spongy substance of the clinoid plate of the sella turcica and the clivus of the cranium, involution of the vertebrae configuration in the medial atlantoaxial articulation, frontal and sphenoidal sinuses. A total of 80 skulls of Caucasoid individuals at the age ranging from 4 to 84 years belonging to an Eastern Slavonic population (free from the pathological lesions in the above cranial structures) were available for the examination. The results of the multifactorial analysis gave evidence of the possibility to estimate the age of individual subjects based on the comprehensive aggregate qualitative and quantitative characteristic in the framework of the linear regression model by making use of the age-related changes in the frontal and sphenoidal sinuses, the sella turcica and the clivus of the cranium, the first and the second cervical vertebrae with an accuracy to within 6 years. It is concluded that the application of the systems for the automated statistical analysis of the images for the purposes of forensic medical expertise would allow to obtain the results of great practical and scientific value.

Цель исследования - установление биологического возраста неопознанных лиц по КТ-сканограммам. Изучили структуру губчатого вещества спинки турецкого седла, ската черепа, инволюцию конфигурации позвонков в срединном атлантоосевом суставе, а также лобных и клиновидных пазух. Исследовали 80 черепов, принадлежащих европеоидам (восточно-славянская группа) в возрасте от 4 до 84 лет без патологии указанных образований. По результатам многофакторного анализа установили, что в рамках линейной регрессионной модели можно по совокупной количественной и качественной оценке возрастных изменений лобных и клиновидной пазух, турецкого седла, ската черепа и I и II шейных позвонков получить прогноз возраста со средней величиной ошибки около 6 лет. Применение систем автоматизированного статистического анализа изображений в судебной медицине позволяет получить результаты, имеющие практическую и научную ценность.

Keywords: age-related changes in the structures of the base of the skull; forensic medical personality identification; frontal and sphenoidal sinuses; medial atlantoaxial articulation (Cruveilhier's joint); sella turcica.

MeSH terms

  • Age Determination by Skeleton / methods*
  • Cephalometry / methods*
  • Female
  • Forensic Pathology / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Sella Turcica* / diagnostic imaging
  • Sella Turcica* / pathology
  • Skull* / diagnostic imaging
  • Skull* / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed