Contribution of the use of clavicle bone density in age estimation.

Age estimation is an essential element in the field of forensics and is also of judicial interest in forensic medicine of the living. Despite all the methods, age estimation is often imprecise with many biases, especially in mature individuals. The main objective of our study is to assess the correlation between age and computed tomography bone mineral density of the medial end of the clavicle. A sample of 180 chest multi-slice computed tomography scans without contrast injection performed in living individuals, with suspected respiratory infection, aged 15 to 100 years was used. Bone density measurement was performed on the medial meta-epiphyseal region of the clavicles. A significant negative correlation was found between bone density and age of individuals (p-value < 0.05). The mean absolute error was calculated for men at 13.4 years and 13.1 years for women, which was associated with an absence of bias. Good precision of the estimate for both sexes was also calculated on a subgroup of individuals whose age was greater than 40 years, with average absolute errors of about 12 years, which was associated with an absence of relative error. In view of our preliminary results, the study of bone density of the medial end of the clavicle could be of interest in the estimation of age. Several studies will be necessary to evaluate the reproducibility of these results on independent bone samples and in the estimation of age in the living individual.

Postmortem coronary artery calcium score in cases of myocardial infarction.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) related to atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ACAD) resulting in myocardial infarction is the most prevalent cause of death in western countries. In clinical practice, coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is considered an independent predictor of coronary events, closely related to atherosclerotic burden and is quantified radiologically by the Agatston score being calculated through computed tomography. Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) allows the visualization and quantification of coronary calcifications before the autopsy. However, it was reported that some patients who died from severe ACAD had a zero CACS in PMCT. In this study, a retrospective evaluation of CACS in adult's myocardial infarction cases related to ACAD, with available CACS and histological slides of coronary arteries, was performed in order to gain a deeper understanding of coronary calcifications and their role in myocardial infarction cases. The CACS was calculated by using the software Smartscore 4.0 after the radiological examination on a 64-row CT unit using a specific cardiac protocol. Thirty-six cases were identified out of 582 autopsies, recorded during a 2-year study period (29 men, 7 women; age 56.3 ± 11.7). CACS was 0-10 in 5 cases (5 men, 44.8 ± 13.7), 11-100 in 8 cases (6 men, 2 women, 53.1 ± 7.7), 101-400 in 13 cases (11 men, 2 women, 57.4 ± 9.6), and > 400 in 10 cases (9 men, 1 woman, 63.1 ± 11.9). Coronary thrombosis was found in 28 cases, histologically identified as plaque erosions in 6 cases and as plaque ruptures in 22 cases. Statistical analyses showed that CACS increases significantly with age (p-value < 0.05) and does not show significant correlation with gender, body weight, body mass index, and heart weight. CACS was significantly higher in plaque ruptures than in plaque erosions (p-value < 0.01). Zero or low CACS on unenhanced PMCT cannot exclude the presence of myocardial infarction related to ACAD. This paradoxical discrepancy between imaging and autopsy findings can be explained considering the histological aspect of fatal coronary plaques.

Age estimation based on computed tomography exploration: a combined method.

Despite an extensive number of existing methods, age estimation of human remains is still an unsolved matter in the field of forensic anthropology, especially when it comes to mature adults. The specific aim of this work was to propose a combined method for age estimation, for forensic purposes, by coupling the Suchey-Brooks method and the measure of the pubic bone density. For this purpose, we used an independent test sample comprising 339 CT scans of living individuals aged 15 to 99 years old. Measurement of bone density and staging according to the Suchey-Brooks phases were performed, followed by estimation of ages based on a combined method and an existing virtual reference sample. Results highlighted a significant negative correlation between bone density and age. Good accuracy was obtained for the measurement of pubic bone density for age estimation of men and women, especially concerning mature adults, with an absolute error ranging from 9 to 16 years for all individuals. The authors propose a practical combined method consisting of, first, allocating phases according to the scannographic approach of the Suchey-Brooks method. For phases I to IV, the age estimation is given using the Suchey-Brooks method. For phases V to VI, the pubic bone density measurement is used. Further study will be needed to assess the reproducibility of these results on cadavers and dry bones, as the post-mortem process could interfere with the measurement of mineral bone density.

Pictorial review of the postmortem computed tomography in neonaticide cases.

Neonaticide is defined by the deliberate killing or homicide of a child within 24 h of its birth. In this context, three fundamental questions are generally asked of the forensic pathologist: what is the cause of death of the neonate? Was the child viable (i.e., what is the gestational age of the neonate)? Finally, was the neonate stillborn or liveborn?Postmortem imaging can help answer these questions by conducting (1) a complete lesional analysis of the body and the placenta, (2) an estimation of the gestational age by measuring the lengths of the diaphyseal long bones, and (3) an analysis of the aeration of the lungs and intestines. Using the details of 18 cases, we illustrate aspects of neonaticide cases in postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), offering detailed examples of notable postmortem changes and abnormalities, especially in the analysis of the pulmonary parenchyma. This article presents a useful iconography for the radiologist confronted with this rare yet complex forensic situation.

Postmortem CT Angiography Compared with Autopsy: A Forensic Multicenter Study.

Purpose To determine if postmortem computed tomography (CT) and postmortem CT angiography help to detect more lesions than autopsy in postmortem examinations, to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each method, and to define their indications. Materials and Methods Postmortem CT angiography was performed on 500 human corpses and followed by conventional autopsy. Nine centers were involved. All CT images were read by an experienced team including one forensic pathologist and one radiologist, blinded to the autopsy results. All findings were recorded for each method and categorized by anatomic structure (bone, organ parenchyma, soft tissue, and vascular) and relative importance in the forensic case (essential, useful, and unimportant). Results Among 18 654 findings, autopsies helped to identify 61.3% (11 433 of 18 654), postmortem CT helped to identify 76.0% (14 179 of 18 654), and postmortem CT angiography helped to identify 89.9% (16 780 of 18 654; P < .001). Postmortem CT angiography was superior to autopsy, especially at helping to identify essential skeletal lesions (96.1% [625 of 650] vs 65.4% [425 of 650], respectively; P < .001) and vascular lesions (93.5% [938 of 1003] vs 65.3% [655 of 1003], respectively; P < .001). Among the forensically essential findings, 23.4% (1029 of 4393) were not detected at autopsy, while only 9.7% (428 of 4393) were missed at postmortem CT angiography (P < .001). The best results were obtained when postmortem CT angiography was combined with autopsy. Conclusion Postmortem CT and postmortem CT angiography and autopsy each detect important lesions not detected by the other method. More lesions were identified by combining postmortem CT angiography and autopsy, which may increase the quality of postmortem diagnosis. Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Study of a seventeenth-century French artificial mummy: autopsical, native, and contrast-injected CT investigations.

BACKGROUND: A lead coffin was fortuitously discovered in a church called "Eglise des Toussaints" in Rennes (French Brittany). A collaborative taskforce investigated this extraordinary discovery. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the National Institute for Preventive Archeological Research (INRAP) and Rangueil University Hospital of Toulouse was created, including anthropologists, archeologists, forensic pathologists, radiologists, and pathologists. The inscription on the lead coffin specified that the body belonged to "Messer Louys de Bruslon, Lord of Plessis," a nobleman who died on November 1, 1661. Multiple holes were visible in the lead coffin, and deterioration threatened the mummy. We opened the lead coffin and discovered an excellently preserved mummy, except for mostly skeletonized upper and lower limbs. The mummy was conserved in several layers of shrouds. Vegetal embalming material covered the head and filled the face, the thorax, and the abdomen. The embalmers had removed all thoracic and abdominal organs and conserved some pelvic organs (e.g., the bladder). METHODS: Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scanner evaluated the mummy, at each step of our analysis. The excellent preservation of abdominal vascular axes led us to perform a CT angiography using Angiofil®, an oily contrast agent developed for postmortem imaging, before an autopsy. RESULTS: Sub-diaphragmatic arteries, including the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries, were excellently preserved. The vascular contrast agent filled all arteries. The native CT, CT angiography, and autopsy did not detect any vascular lesion. CONCLUSION: Our study, based on rare archeological material, allowed a complete examination of an excellently preserved seventeenth-century mummy, using MSCT, angiography, and an autopsy. We did not detect any arterial lesion and proposed a comprehensive description of the embalmment process.

Visualization of Myocardial Infarction in Postmortem Multiphase Computed Tomography Angiography: A Feasibility Study.

Recent studies have indicated that multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography (MPMCTA) allows detection of a pathological enhancement of the myocardium in regions that correlate with the localization of the infarction at histology. The aim of this study was to verify this hypothesis by examining MPMCTA images in cases of myocardial infarction. Therefore, we investigated 10 autopsy cases where death was attributed to myocardial infarction or which showed cardiovascular pathology. As a control group, we selected 10 cases of non-natural (namely, not cardiac) death. The MPMCTA was performed in both groups to ascertain whether a pathological enhancement could be observed. We detected a myocardial enhancement in all cardiac death cases, in the same region that showed infarction at histology. No enhancement was observed in control cases. These results have important implications in the routine management of sudden cardiac death cases. In fact, MPMCTA can not only orient about the cause of death before autopsy, but can especially help to identify affected regions for guiding and improving the sampling for microscopic examination.

Bone age estimation based on multislice computed tomography study of the scapula.

Progress in medical imaging has opened new areas of research in forensic anthropology, especially in the context of the study of bone age assessment. The study of bone age has become a useful tool for age estimation at death or age of young adult migrants in an anthropological context. We retrospectively evaluated multislice computed tomography (MSCT) explorations focused on scapulae of 232 individuals (123 males; 109 females) aged between 8 and 30 years old. Computed tomography (CT) scans were viewed in axial and multiplanar reconstructed images using OsiriX 5.9 (64 bit)®. The ossification centers of the scapula studied were as follows: acromial, sub-coracoid, glenoid, coracoid, coracoid apex, and inferior angle epiphyses. Fusion status was scored based on a five-stage system (stage 1: no ossification, stage 2: visualization of an ossification center, stage 3: partial ossification, stage 4: full ossification associated to an epiphyseal scar, and stage 5: full ossification without epiphyseal scar). Intra-observer variability was excellent, and inter-observer variability was good, demonstrating the reliability of this MSCT staging system. The fusion of scapular ossification centers was statistically associated with age (p < 0.001) but not with sex (p > 0.05). In conclusion, MSCT of the scapula is an efficient method for age assessment, which is complementary to preexisting methods particularly for specifying the 18-year threshold. Further studies with larger groups are needed to support our results.

Sudden aortic death-proposal for a comprehensive diagnostic approach in forensic and in clinical pathology practice.

BACKGROUNDS: Aortic rupture or dissection as immediate cause of sudden death is encountered in forensic and clinical autopsy practice. Despite a common denominator of 'sudden aortic death' (SAD), we expect that in both settings the diagnostic workup, being either primarily legal or primarily disease related, differs substantially, which may affect the eventual diagnoses. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed case records of deceased persons who fitted a diagnosis of SAD in the continuous autopsy cohorts in a forensic (Suisse) and a clinical setting (The Netherlands). Clinical characteristics, data from post-mortem imaging, tissue blocks for histological analysis and results of ancillary studies were reviewed for its presence and outcome. RESULTS: SAD was found in 7.7% in the forensic versus 2.2% in the clinical autopsies. In the forensic setting, autopsy was always combined with post-mortem imaging, showing variable outcome on detection of aortic disruption and/or pericardial bleeding. Histology of aorta was performed in 12/35 cases, mostly in the natural deaths. In the clinical setting, histology of the aorta was available in all cases, but post-mortem imaging in none. In both settings, underlying aortic disease was mostly cystic medial degeneration, atherosclerosis or a combination of both, with occasional rare unexpected diagnosis. Also in both, a genetic cause of aortic dissection was revealed in a minority (three cases). CONCLUSION: Sudden aortic death (SAD) is more commonly encountered in a forensic than in a clinical setting. Major differences in the approach of SAD between these settings coincide with similarities in causes of death and underlying diseases. To ensure a correct diagnosis, we recommend that the investigation of SAD includes a study of the medical history, a full autopsy with histology of major organs including aorta, and storage of material for toxicological and genetic testing. Post-mortem radiological examination, useful for documentation and screening purposes, is feasible as non-invasive alternative when autopsy is not possible, but cannot substitute a full autopsy.

Contribution of magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist and hand to forensic age assessment.

Forensic age estimation of living individuals is a controversial subject because of the imprecision of the available methods which leads to errors. Moreover, young persons are exposed to radiation, without diagnostic or therapeutic advantage. Recently, non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been studied in this context. The aim of this work was to study if the analysis of wrist/hand MRI enabled determination of whether a subject was 18 years old. Two observers retrospectively analyzed metaphyseal-epiphyseal fusion of the distal epiphysis of the radius and the ulna and the base of the first metacarpus in wrist/hand MRI of living people between 9 and 25 years of age. A three-stage scoring system was applied to all epiphyses. Intra- and inter-observer variability was excellent. Staging of the distal radial epiphysis allowed the subjects to be correctly evaluated with regard to the 18-year-old threshold in more than 85 % of cases. Analysis of the radius alone was as good as the analysis of the three epiphyses together. Evaluation of the metaphyseal-epiphyseal fusion of the distal radius in wrist MRI gave good results in forensic age estimation. Wrist MRI could meet ethical expectations with regard to the link between the benefit and risk of practicing radiologic examination on individuals in this context.

Performance of post-mortem CT compared to autopsy in children.

INTRODUCTION: Radiological techniques such as non-enhanced post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) play an increasingly important role in death investigations, especially in cases of non-medicolegal context of death, where the consent of the next of kin is required to perform autopsy. Such consent is often difficult to obtain for deceased children, and radiological methods may be an acceptable alternative. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of PMCT explorations compared to medicolegal conventional autopsies in children and its potential usefulness in non-medicolegal situations. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a group of 26 children aged 0-12 years who died of different causes, which were investigated by both conventional autopsy and PMCT. We compared the findings extracted from radiological and autopsy reports. All findings were grouped according to their importance with respect to cause of death and to the anatomical structure they covered: organs, vascular system, soft tissue, and skeletal system. RESULTS: A significantly larger number of findings were detected by autopsy compared to PMCT. Autopsy proved to be superior to PMCT, notably at detecting organ, soft tissue, and vascular findings, while PMCT was superior at detecting bone findings. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the methods concerning the essential findings used to define the cause of death. CONCLUSIONS: In children, PMCT was less sensitive than conventional autopsy for detecting general findings. However, most essential findings were detected by both methods. PMCT was superior to autopsy for the detection of bone lesions in children. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Up to today, very rare literature exists concerning PMCT in children, especially in a forensic setting. This article investigates the advantages and limitations of PMCT compared to autopsy in a unique study group and discusses possibilities for future developments.

Is the persistence of an epiphyseal scar of the knee a reliable marker of biological age?

Age estimation of living individuals is a regular activity in medico-legal practice. Among the available tools for determining skeletal age, some authors have stated that the disappearance of epiphyseal scars could be a useful marker. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the presence of an epiphyseal scar on the knee, as seen on a plain X-ray, was linked to biological age. A total of 988 frontal X-rays of individuals (509 females and 479 males) aged between 15 and 40 years were analyzed to see whether a scar was visible or not on each of the three epiphyses of the knee. A scar was visible for 96% of the females and 98% of the males. For each sex, scars were visible at each year of age, from 15 to 40 years. In younger females, there were 15 individuals with no scar visible on the fibula, 16 on the tibia, and 20 on the femur. For males, the ages were respectively 16, 17, and 18 years. On a frontal X-ray, the persistence of epiphyseal scars was not a marker of a recent fusion. All individuals with fully ossified knee that had no scar on the femur were older than 18 years. Further studies focusing on epiphyseal scars on MR and CT scans could be useful, as these techniques allow the more precise analysis of the epiphysis.

Virtual anthropology: useful radiological tools for age assessment in clinical forensic medicine and thanatology.

Virtual anthropology consists of the introduction of modern slice imaging to biological and forensic anthropology. Thanks to this non-invasive scientific revolution, some classifications and staging systems, first based on dry bone analysis, can be applied to cadavers with no need for specific preparation, as well as to living persons. Estimation of bone and dental age is one of the possibilities offered by radiology. Biological age can be estimated in clinical forensic medicine as well as in living persons. Virtual anthropology may also help the forensic pathologist to estimate a deceased person's age at death, which together with sex, geographical origin and stature, is one of the important features determining a biological profile used in reconstructive identification. For this forensic purpose, the radiological tools used are multislice computed tomography and, more recently, X-ray free imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound investigations. We present and discuss the value of these investigations for age estimation in anthropology.

Evaluation of an automatic method for forensic age estimation by magnetic resonance imaging of the distal tibial epiphysis--a preliminary study focusing on the 18-year threshold.

The contribution of magnetic resonance imaging to forensic age estimation of living individuals is a subject of ongoing research. Several studies have focused on the wrist, clavicle, knee, and foot, and shown interesting results regarding the 18-year threshold. Authors have developed various staging systems for epiphyseal growth plate maturation. However, the procedure is observer-dependent and requires experience and a certain time-learning process. To reduce these pitfalls, we have developed an automatic method based on the analysis of variations of gray levels within the epiphyseal-metaphyseal junction. This method was tested on 160 MRI scans of the distal tibial epiphysis in a sample of individuals aged from 8 to 25 years old, after intensity non-uniformity correction of all images. Results showed that in our sample, 97.4 % of males and 93.9 % of females aged 18 years or more would be correctly classified using this method. To our knowledge, automatic methods for MRI analysis have not been used in the field of age estimation yet. Further studies should be performed to assess the validity of this procedure.

Fetal age estimation using MSCT scans of the mandible.

The purpose of this study was to examine a documented fetal collection, to carry out morphometric analysis of femoral length and of the mandible, and to develop diagnostic standards for estimating fetal age at death based on multislice computed tomography (MSCT) reconstructions. The sample was composed of 81 fetuses, whose ages were recorded in weeks of amenorrhea (WA) between 20 to 40 WA. The measurements made were femoral length (FL) and six distances and four angles of the mandible. Femoral length was measured in 81 fetuses (39 females and 42 males). Morphometric study of the mandible was carried out in 65 fetuses (31 females and 34 males), as the mandible was missing in 16 fetuses. R software was used for statistical analyses. Coefficient correlation (R(2)) and linear regression formulas were calculated. Intra-observer and inter-observer variabilities were very satisfactory (intra-class correlation coefficient ≥0.95). Our method appears to be reliable and reproducible. Femoral length was most strongly correlated with age (R(2) = 0.9). The measurement of six distances and four mandible angles from four landmark positions showed a correlation similar to the femoral length correlation (R(2) ≥ 0.72). The results of this study agreed with those of the literature. We conclude that the mandible is a reliable indicator for estimating fetal age at death. Moreover, MSCT has been shown to be an innovative and reliable technology for this purpose.

Fetal age estimation using MSCT scans of deciduous tooth germs.

Evaluation of fetal age is an essential element in many fields such as anthropology, odontology, paleopathology, and forensic sciences. This study examines the correlation between fetal age, femoral diaphyseal length (considered as the gold standard), and deciduous tooth germs of fetuses aged 22 to 40 weeks amenorrhea (WA) based on computed tomography (MSCT) reconstructions. Qualitative and quantitative studies of femoral and deciduous tooth germ lengths were performed on 81 fetuses (39 females and 42 males). R software was used for statistical analyses. Intra-observer and inter-observer variabilities and the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated. Correlation coefficients (R (2)) and linear regression equations were calculated. Intra- and inter-observer variabilities were very satisfactory (intra-observer ICC ≥ 0.96, inter-observer ICC ≥ 0.95). Femoral length was significantly correlated with age (R (2) = 0.9). The correlation coefficient between age and height, width, and dental volume was R (2) ≥ 0.73. Tooth germs were good indicators of fetal age. Our method appears to be reliable and reproducible, and the results of this study agreed with those of the literature. The dental formula provided a precise estimation of fetal age between 25 and 32 WA. Tooth germs were reliable indicators of fetal age, and multislice computed tomography was shown to be an innovative and reliable technology for this purpose.

Age estimation by magnetic resonance imaging of the distal tibial epiphysis and the calcaneum.

Age estimation of living individuals is of critical importance in forensic practice, especially because of the increased migration in developed countries. Recently, the contribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to age evaluation has been studied, as it seems to be an efficient technique to analyze growth plate maturation and epiphyseal fusion. We developed an MRI staging system for the distal tibial epiphysis and the calcaneal epiphysis and evaluated its reliability on 180 MRI scans of the ankle and foot in a sample of individuals aged from 8 to 25 years old. For both bones, the degree of union between the metaphysis and epiphysis was classified in three stages. Intra- and inter-observer variabilities were good, showing the validity and reproducibility of the method. Our results were consistent with data in the literature indicating that both epiphyses mature earlier in females than in males. Bayesian predictive probabilities were used to assess the validity of our method in estimating the age of an individual in relation to the 18-year threshold. MRI of the ankle and foot can be used in association with other methods to estimate age in living individuals.

[Forensic scientist's implication regarding medical autopsies: experience in a French university hospital (CHU Toulouse)]. / Implication des médecins légistes dans l'autopsie médicale : l'expérience toulousaine.

UNLABELLED: Despite its progressive decline, clinical autopsy remains a useful diagnostic tool. In the French Toulouse University Hospital, a pathologist in collaboration with a forensic scientist performs theses autopsies since macroscopic time. AIM: Our purpose is to present a retrospective study of theses autopsies since the beginning of this collaboration. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We reviewed the demands of medical autopsies between January 2006 and June 2010. We have then analyzed different data such as epidemiological data, gross and microscopic findings and the different causes of death. RESULTS: Thirty-eight medical autopsies were performed during this period. The average age of patients was 45.7 years and the sex ratio M/F 1.5. We distinguished two different populations in this sample: hospitalized patients with numerous associated diseases and non-hospitalized patients who died in a context of sudden unexpected death. A diagnosis was established in 73.7% of the observations. Most of them suffered from infections. Discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses reached 50% of all cases. Histological examination allowed to establish a complete diagnosis in 47.3% of cases. Histological analysis has a major impact on necropsy diagnosis especially in the lungs, heart or brain. CONCLUSION: Medical autopsy is still the most accurate method of determining the cause of death. Gross and microscopic examinations are fundamental to achieve this aim. Two experts, one pathologist and one forensic scientist, perform these autopsies in Toulouse, in order to improve both experiences and performance in the diagnosis of death.

A forensic case of hydranencephaly in a preterm neonate fully documented by postmortem imaging techniques.

The authors present a medico-legal autopsy case of hydranencephaly in a male preterm newborn, fully documented by postmortem unenhanced and enhanced imaging techniques (postmortem computed tomography and postmortem magnetic resonance imaging). Hydranencephaly is a congenital anomaly of the central nervous system, consisting in almost complete absence of the cerebral hemispheres and replacement of the cerebral parenchyma by cerebrospinal fluid, rarely encountered in forensic medical practice. A premature baby was born during the supposed 22nd and 24th week of pregnancy in the context of a denial of pregnancy without any follow-up. The newborn died a few hours after birth and medico-legal investigations were requested to determine the cause of death and exclude the intervention of a third person in the lethal process. The external examination revealed neither traumatic nor malformative lesions. Postmortem imaging investigations were typical of hydranencephaly, and conventional medico-legal autopsy, neuropathological examination, and histological examination confirmed a massive necrotic-haemorrhagic hydranencephaly. This case represents in itself an association of out-of-the-ordinary elements making it worthy of interest. Key Points: Postmortem unenhanced and enhanced imaging techniques (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) were performed as complementary examination to conventional medico-legal investigations.Postmortem angiography of a preterm newborn is possible with catheterization of the umbilical blood vessels.Hydranencephaly is a congenital anomaly of the central nervous system, consisting in almost complete absence of the cerebral hemispheres and replacement of the brain by cerebrospinal fluid, for which several aetiologies have been postulated.