Forensic age estimation in Barcelona: analysis of expert reports issued between 2011 and 2018.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, there has been a notable increase of migratory movements into Europe with the arrival of not (reliably) documented young individuals within EU-Member States. Accordingly, the need for forensic age assessments likewise increased in order to administratively differentiate along the legally relevant cut-off age of 18 completed years. The objective of our study was to analyse the expert reports of forensic age estimation issued in Barcelona between 2011 and 2018. METHOD: In all cases, data on the medical history, physical examination, radiology of the left hand and orthopantomography were collected. In cases without third molars and a complete ossification of the hand, a CT scan of the clavicles was also performed. RESULTS: A total of 2754 expert reports were evaluated; 96.7% were males, the majority were of North African origin, mainly from Morocco (63.6%), and 19.6% were sub-Saharan Africans; 65.4% had a level of bone maturation corresponding to the last three standards of Greulich and Pyle. Most cases had mineralization of the third molar corresponding to the F, G or H stages of Demirjian. In 85.9%, there was a correspondence between bone and dental age. A total of 28.8% of the subjects were evaluated as being aged over 18 years; 86.2% of North Africans were considered to be younger than 18, and 82% of sub-Saharan Africans were considered to be over 18 years old. CONCLUSIONS: In Barcelona, most of the subjects evaluated were male and North African, and 71.2% of the cases were considered to be minors.

Pythagoras and Cosines: The skin-dural sac distance and optimal angles in paramedian spinal anesthesia.

The classical recommendation for paramedian approaches is needle insertion 1-2 cm paramedian and an angle of 10°-15° medial-cephalad to the plane of the back, but contact with vertebrae is frequent. A mathematical approach to individualizing punctures is proposed on the basis of skin-dural sac distance (d): Optimal angle ∼ inverse cosine [d/ √(1+d^2) ] and the distance covered by the needle ∼ √(1+d^2) for 1 cm paramedian punctures. The inferred angles were compared to optimal angles leading to the central dorsal part of the dural sac from 1 to 2 cm paramedian, measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in seven cases and in a short stature volunteer (1.58 m, Body Mass Index (BMI) 23.2), to study supine and fetal positions using both closed MR and ultrasound. The average (d) decreased rostrally [6.8 cm (L4-L5)-4.3 cm (T11-T12)] while the mean optimal incidence angles increased [8.3°-16.5° (L4-L5) to 12.7°-24.1° (T11-T12) at 1-2 cm paramedian, respectively] and coincided with the estimated angles with a correlation coefficient = 0.98. In the volunteer, the optimal lateromedial angles increased from 14.4° to 26.7° (L3-L4) to 17.1°-30.3° (T11-T12) for a (d) = 3.7 cm (L3-L4)-3.1 cm (T11-T12) and increased ≤3.7° and ≤5.1° at 1 and 2 cm paramedian, respectively, in fetal positions in MR. Ultrasound yielded comparable figures. The range of possible angles for dural punctures is wider at 1 cm paramedian in lower approaches in lateral decubitus [from 3.6° at T12L1 (12.2°-15.8°) to 9° at L3L4 (8.8°-18.7°)]. The classically recommended angles of 10°-15° differ from the optimal angles, particularly in small patients, suggesting the need for ultrasound guidance or for inferring angles prior to spinal anesthesia. Clin. Anat. 29:1046-1052, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Sacroiliac joints: osteoarthritis or arthritis]. / Sacroilíacas: artrosis o artritis.

One of the most challenging aspects of treating the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is the complexity of diagnosis. Imaging methods have gained importance for the diagnosis of SIJ diseases. CT and MR exams had equal efficacy superior to radiography in staging structural changes in the SIJ due to osteoarthritis or sacroiliitis. The diagnosis of spondyloarthropaty can be delayed for several years using certain radiography studies. MR imaging reveal early cartilage changes and active inflammatory changes in the subchondral bone and surrounding ligaments in spondyloarthropaties, as well as subperiosteal and transcapsular yuxtaarticular infiltrations characteristic of septic sacroiliitis, which could not be found by either CT of radiography. T1-WI with fat suppression (FS) and STIR images improve the demonstration of erosions and inflammatory changes respectively, on MR studies. Additional T1-FS after i.v. contrast has proven valuable in demonstrating the extension of inflammatory changes and abscesses in septic sacroiliitis, and in spondyloartropaties may be useful although this is debatable. Scintigraphy gives high sensibility only in early inflammatory changes and low specificity for the diagnosis of sacroiliitis due to high bone turnover in the SIJ, although specific radioprobes are useful in confirming the septic etiology and evaluating additional foci. This complex joint of very limited mobility shows a lot of structural variations and some anatomical degenerative changes due to age, which are necessary to know to an adequate image interpretation and diagnosis of disease.