| Institution: | 1. Division of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan;2. Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Yonago College, Yonago 683-8502, Japan;4. Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan;1. School of Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan;2. Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan;1. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medizinische Fakultät Technische Universität Dresden, Germany;2. Department of Visceral-, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany;3. Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany;1. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, 35100 Padova, Italy;2. Department of Diagnostics and Public Health – Unit of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy;3. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy;4. Regional Centre for Transplant Coordination of Veneto Region, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy;1. Forensic Pathology Unit, Forensic Medicine Authority, Ministry of Justice, Egypt;2. Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt;3. Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia;1. Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;2. Education and Research Center of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan;4. Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, 4-3, Kozunomori, Narita, Chiba 286-8686, Japan |
| Abstract: | This study evaluated the age-related changes in the vertebral body using 3D Postmortem CT (PMCT) images and proposed an alternative age estimation formula. The PMCT images of 200 deceased individuals aged 25 to 99 years (126 males, 74 females) were retrospectively reviewed and included in the study. Using the open-source software ITK-SNAP and MeshLab, a 3D surface mesh of the fourth lumbar vertebral body (L4) and its convex hull models were created from the PMCT data. Using their inbuilt tools, volumes (in mm3) of the L4 surface mesh and convex hull models were subsequently computed. We derived VD, defined as the difference in volumes between the convex hull and L4 surface mesh normalized by L4 mesh volume, and VR, defined as the ratio of L4 mesh volume to convex hull volume based on individual L4. Correlation and regression analyses were performed between VD, VR, and chronological age. A statistically significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) between chronological age and VD, (rs = 0.764, males; rs = 0.725, females), and a significant negative correlation between chronological age and VR (rs = -0.764, males; rs = -0.725, females) was obtained in both sexes. The lowest standard error of the estimate was demonstrated by the VR at 11.9 years and 12.5 years for males and females, respectively. As such, their regression models to estimate adult age were Age = 248.9–2.5VR years, males; Age = 258.1–2.5VR years, females. These regression equations may be useful for estimating age in Japanese adults in forensic settings. |
