Age at Death Estimation in Adults by Computer-Assisted Histomorphometry of Decalcified Femur Cortex

• NCJ Number: 229260
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 1231-1237
• Author(s): Laurent Martrille, M.D.; Theano Irinopoulou, Ph.D.; Patrick Bruneval, M.D., Ph.D.; Eric Baccino, M.D.; Paul Fornes, M.D., Ph.D.
• Date Published: November 2009
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This two-part study tested different decalcifying methods in determining the most appropriate for femoral bone and then used computer-assisted histomorphometry in order to estimate age at death in 29 samples of femoral bone.

Abstract

The study found that decalcification of bone sections can be used for age estimation at death. The study developed a bone decalcification procedure for those forensic pathologists familiar with decalcified and stained bone sections, which are routinely examined in pathology labs. Decalcification does not require constant supervision, which facilitates the examination of many specimens, such as is the case in mass disasters. The decalcifying procedure was considered complete when a fine needle could easily penetrate the bone, which was not possible in some samples, even when X-rays showed that the bone was decalcified. Although X-ray is usually accepted as an accurate method for demonstrating decalcification, the needle test used was more accurate in determining the proper time finishing point for the decalcifying process. It avoids the subsequent stiffening of the sample. In these cases, the samples were put back in the nitric acid solution in order to complete the process. Twenty-nine cross-sections from the femoral midshaft were assessed histomorphometrically, using samples taken from bodies autopsied at Lapeyronie Hospital, Montpellier, France. The histological features selected for the study were the intact osteon density, fragmented osteon density, and percentage of lamellar bone surface per unit area. Fragmented osteon density was found to be the morphometric feature most closely correlated with age, followed by intact osteon density. The best accuracy was obtained for individuals under the age of 70 when measurements of 20 fields were used for the analysis. Age at death was estimated for 29 samples. 6 figures, 7 tables, and 24 references