Facial soft tissue thickness in the sub-adult population of Türkiye: MRI-based assessment and its correlation with body-mass index (BMI).

Abstract

This study conducted a retrospective analysis of head and neck magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from the Pediatric Radiology Department at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, covering the period from 2014 to 2022. The objective was to assess facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT) in children aged 3-18 years, thereby contributing to forensic and anthropological identification processes and establishing a dataset. A sample of 300 healthy youngsters was included, divided into three age groups: 3-8 years, 9-13 years, and 14-18 years, according to age and body mass index (BMI) percentiles. The findings demonstrate that FSTT rises with age, with subnasale dimensions attaining 15.0 ± 2.9 mm in males and 12.6 ± 2.3 mm in females at the age range of 14-18 years (p < 0.001). Males demonstrated elevated FSTT values at the glabella landmark, whereas children in the 85th and 95th BMI percentiles exhibited significantly higher FSTT values (p < 0.001). The most significant BMI-related differences were observed in the labiale superius and subnasale in females aged 9 to 18 years. This study offers the pilot comprehensive dataset on variations in FSTT across children, categorized by age, sex, and BMI in Türkiye. The dataset primarily facilitates profile-based approximations, given its emphasis on midline features. However it may also provide limited utility in 3D facial reconstruction efforts. The findings will be essential for forensic and anthropological research. The findings address a gap in the forensic science literature and highlight the necessity for more research with varied age groups and foreigners.