High resolution three-dimensional imaging and analysis of fetal skeletal development for forensic age estimation

Abstract

Background

The primary ossification of skeletal structures occurs predominantly in-utero. For this reason, knowledge of skeletal development is based on clinical imaging methods (e.g. ultrasound, or in rare cases MRI), or derived from archaeological or forensic specimens with an unknown fetal age. To accurately estimate age-at-death in forensic cases, further knowledge of skeletal development is essential.

The primary ossification of skeletal structures occurs predominantly in-utero. For this reason, knowledge of skeletal development is based on clinical imaging methods (e.g. ultrasound, or in rare cases MRI), or derived from archaeological or forensic specimens with an unknown fetal age. To accurately estimate age-at-death in forensic cases, further knowledge of skeletal development is essential.

Methods

Thirty-four healthy human fetuses (9-24 weeks gestational age) previously donated to the Dutch Fetal Biobank after termination of pregnancy have undergone diffusible iodine-based contrast enhancement and micro-CT scanning. All cartilaginous and ossified skeletal elements were first segmented using in-house-developed AI tools, after which the segmentations were manually verified and adjusted in Dragonfly 3D World. Additional micro-CT scans without contrast enhancement of healthy human fetuses were used to further characterize the timing of ossification onset and to quantify the size and morphology of primary ossification centres.

Thirty-four healthy human fetuses (9-24 weeks gestational age) previously donated to the Dutch Fetal Biobank after termination of pregnancy have undergone diffusible iodine-based contrast enhancement and micro-CT scanning. All cartilaginous and ossified skeletal elements were first segmented using in-house-developed AI tools, after which the segmentations were manually verified and adjusted in Dragonfly 3D World. Additional micro-CT scans without contrast enhancement of healthy human fetuses were used to further characterize the timing of ossification onset and to quantify the size and morphology of primary ossification centres.

Expected Results

We will provide quantifications and morphological visualisations of the developing human fetus. Growth curves with prediction intervals will be developed based on size and ossification onsets for all major long bones, providing robust quantitative references for early skeletal development. Also, the size and morphology of primary ossification centres together with the timing of ossification onset will be characterized over gestational ages.

We will provide quantifications and morphological visualisations of the developing human fetus. Growth curves with prediction intervals will be developed based on size and ossification onsets for all major long bones, providing robust quantitative references for early skeletal development. Also, the size and morphology of primary ossification centres together with the timing of ossification onset will be characterized over gestational ages.

Conclusions

With this project we will develop a comprehensive source on fetal skeletal growth and development, providing three-dimensional morphological visualisations, ossification onsets, and growth curves of human fetuses at nine to 24 weeks of gestation.

With this project we will develop a comprehensive source on fetal skeletal growth and development, providing three-dimensional morphological visualisations, ossification onsets, and growth curves of human fetuses at nine to 24 weeks of gestation.