Part III – Adult skeletal age estimation using CT scans of cadavers: Revision of the auricular surface methods

Objective

The auricular surface of the ilium is often found preserved in both archaeological and forensic contexts. In the final manuscript of this three-part series, the features used by biological and forensic anthropologists to estimate adult skeletal age from the auricular surface are tested on volume-rendered images (VRIs) generated from CT scans of cadavers.

Materials and methods

CT scans of 420 cadavers from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine were selected (age range 20–79 years). Siemens syngo.via software was used to view the DICOM images and create the VRIs. The Lovejoy et al. auricular surface method of age estimation was assessed for use on VRIs and a new method for VRIs was created.

Results and conclusion

Most of the features described by Lovejoy et al. could not be observed on the VRIs, and as previously established by Villa et al. (2013) [13], the Buckberry and Chamberlain method cannot be used on VRIs. Features such as transverse organization, surface texture, and microporosity are not visible on VRIs; however, features of the auricular surface and retroauricular area were seen to progress in a manner similar to that described by Lovejoy and colleagues, and a revised auricular surface method for use on VRIs was developed. The revised method is strongly correlated with age, and over 70% of the sample was placed within one standard deviation of the mean of the correct phase. This revised method should be tested on more populations using different CT settings and software.