Correlation between age and the parameters of medial epiphysis and metaphysis of the clavicle using CT volume rendering images.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between age and the parameters of medial epiphysis of clavicle based on CT volume rendering (VR) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT images of the medial clavicle from 795 teenagers (387 male and 408 female) between 15 and 25 years were collected in East and South China. VR images were recombined from 0.60 mm thickness slice CT images. The ratio of epiphyseal diameter/metaphyseal diameter and the ratio of epiphyseal area/metaphyseal area of two sides of medial clavicle were measured and calculated by three different examiners, the quantitative data consistency was checked by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The diameter ratio of left and right side are depicted as X1 and X3, and the area ratio of left and right side as X2 and X4. Descriptive statistic analysis of the data was performed and several mathematical models were established using least square. CT images from additional 60 teenagers (30 male and 30 female) were used to verify the accuracy of the established mathematical models. RESULTS: ICC indicated that the measurement of epiphyseal diameter, metaphyseal diameter, the ratio of epiphyseal diameter/metaphyseal diameter, epiphyseal area, metaphyseal area and the ratio of epiphyseal area/metaphyseal area of medial clavicle in the left and right side of the three examiners was approaching 1. The 95% reference range for the mean of every examination of both genders gradually increased with age. Females' data indicated by medial epiphysis of the clavicle development were earlier than male's, especially from 15 to 21 years. The difference of medial epiphysis of the clavicle development in gender becomes smaller after 21 years. The highest accuracy of the mathematical models made clear that male's accuracy was 73.5% (±1.0 year) and 85.3% (±1.5 year), and female's was 68.6% (±1.0 year) and 82.2% (±1.5 year) respectively. CONCLUSION: The methods of data collection and analysis were reliable and feasible. Combined the high accuracy of these established mathematical models, it is applicable to use the ratio of epiphyseal diameter/metaphyseal diameter and the ratio of epiphyseal area/metaphyseal area of left and right side of medial clavicle to estimate the teenager's age. Bearing this in mind, further studies are needed to evaluate slice thickness as the most critical parameter.

Coronary angiography of in vitro porcine heart using MSCT / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish standardized methods and parameters of the isolated heart coronary angiography through the experiment of in vitro porcine heart by MSCT.@*METHODS@#Based on different perfusion volume (50, 60 and 70 mL) and different perfusion-imaging time (5, 10 and 20 min), the in vitro porcine coronary artery was injected liposoluble and water-soluble contrast agents using remodel angiography equipment and scanned by MSCT. And the 3D image results were compared. The images were recorded and evaluated by 2 radiologists and analyzed by statistical software.@*RESULTS@#Liposoluble contrast agent affected the images by damaging and infiltrating the fats around the coronary artery, while the water-soluble contrast agent didn't affect the images. The groups with 60 mL or 70 mL perfusion and 5 min perfusion-imaging time had the best images.@*CONCLUSION@#The suitable parameters of the angiography lay the foundation of postmortem coronary angiography.

Automated assessment of developmental levels of epiphysis by support vector machine / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To realize the automated assessment of the levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna by support vector machine (SVM).@*METHODS@#The X-ray films of the left wrist joints were taken from 140 teenagers aged from 11 to 19 years old as training samples. The levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna were divided into five developmental levels. Each level contained 28 samples. Another 35 cases were selected as independent verifying samples. SVM classification models of the five developmental levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna were established. The internal cross validation was made by leave one out cross validation (LOOCV), while the external validation was made by histogram of oriented gradient (HOG), and then the accuracy (PA) of testing results was calculated, respectively.@*RESULTS@#The PA of SVM, LOOCV and HOG of distal radius epiphyseal level were 100%, 78.6%, and 82.8%, respectively; whereas the PA of SVM, LOOCV and HOG of distal ulna epiphyseal level were 100.0%, 80.0% and 88.6%, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The SVM-based automatic models of the growth stage of distal ra- dius and ulna appear to have certain feasibility, and may provide a foundation for software development of bone age assessment by forensic medicine.

The subtle anatomical structures of normal nasal bone in MSCT image and forensic identification / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the subtle anatomical structures of the normal nasal bone in multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) image through the observation of the three-dimensional images.@*METHODS@#One hundred and twenty volunteers who had no nasal trauma and disease history were collected. The nasal was scanned using MSCT. Raw data was reconstructed into bone window images (slice thickness 0.6 mm, slice interval 0.5 mm), and then the images were imported into Syngo Imaging XS software to reconstruct three-dimensional images and to summarize the nasal bone's subtle anatomical structures.@*RESULTS@#The subtle anatomy of normal nasal bone generally included four seams, two holes and one edge. The four seams were left and right nasal-maxillary suture, nasal-frontal seam, and internasal suture. The two holes were left and right nasal aperture. The edge of the nasal was the lower edge of the nasal bone. In addition, there was suture bone in internasal suture in some normal nose. The nasal aperture mostly was hole-like, but some nasal apertures were line shape. The nasal edge can be divided into flat type, wave-shaped type, inverted spike type, hook-shaped type and others.@*CONCLUSION@#The anatomy diversity and individual differences in nasal bone are large. MSCT and three-dimensional image reconstruction techniques, combined with the history of trauma could distinguish between the normal anatomy and fractures.

Application of MSCT's coronary artery calcification score in evaluation of sudden death caused by coronary artery disease / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To access application value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) in investigation the coronary artery disease (CAD), and to explore the effective way of virtual autopsy to evaluate the sudden death due to CAD.@*METHODS@#Nine cases of sudden cardiac death were collected to analyze MSCT before the autopsy. The quantitative analysis of the degree of coronary artery calcium was made by Agatston's method. The CACS of all the subjects were calculated based on the diagnostic criteria for CAD, in which calcium scoring was more than 400. The results of CACS were compared with that of the autopsy.@*RESULTS@#Only 2 cases got the high calcium scoring which were more than 400 in the 9 cases died of CAD confirmed by the autopsy. The prediction rate of CACS for CAD was only 22.2%. Pulmonary edema of different severity was found in both autopsy and MSCT. There was a higher morbidity rate in the left anterior descending of coronary artery than the other branches.@*CONCLUSION@#Obvious calcification of coronary artery can be detected by MSCT and calculating CACS. To detect subtle calcification needs other technologies such as postmortem angiography.

Mathematical models of the teenager's skeletal age evaluation based on CT scan and imaging reconstruction of medial clavicular epiphysis / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation between CT volume rendering (VR) statistics and living age and to build the mathematical models for skeletal age evaluation based on the growth rules of medial clavicular epiphysis of teenagers in China.@*METHODS@#The thin layer CT scan and VR 3D imaging reconstruction of both sides of sternal ends of clavicles were examined for 684 teenagers aged from 15 to 25 in East and South China. The parameters of sternal end of clavicle including the longest diameter of epiphysis, the longest diameter of metaphysis, their length radio, area of epiphysis, area of metaphysic, their area ratio, and other data were measured and calculated in order to establish mathematical models of skeletal age evaluation. Fifty trained subjects were tested to verify the accuracy of the mathematical models.@*RESULTS@#In the same age group, the length ratio and the area ratio had significant difference in genders (P < 0.05). The established mathematical models showed that the growth rules of medial clavicular epiphysis were highly correlated with the living ages. The accuracies of these models were higher than 70.5% +/- 1.0 year) and 82.5% (+/- 1.5 year).@*CONCLUSION@#The mathematical models have easy operability and high accuracy. It can be used to confirm and sustain the conclusion of atlas method. Meanwhile, it is of great significance to study the other single skeletal age evaluation in the future.

Mathematical models for teenager's living age evaluation based on CT image of medial clavicular epiphysis / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation between volume rendering (VR) statistics of medial clavicular epiphysis and living age, and establish the mathematical models for living age evaluation using the CT image of medial clavicular epiphysis based on the growth rules of osteoepiphysis of medial clavicle.@*METHODS@#The CT images of the medial clavicles from 795 teenagers aged 15-25, 387 males and 408 females, were collected in East and South China. VR 3D images were reconstructed from 0.60 mm-thick slice CT images. The epiphyseal diameter, sternal end diameter, and their respective diameter ratio (the left: X1; the right: x3); epiphyseal area, sternal end area, and their respective area ratio (the left: x2; the right: x4), were measured and calculated. All these observations were analyzed using SPSS 19.0 statistical software. The statistical differences in gender and age were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. The mathematical models were established using least square. Sixty trained subjects, 30 males and 30 females, were tested to verify the accuracy of the established mathematical models.@*RESULTS@#In the group of same age, x1 showed significant difference in gender; the same results were observed in x2, x3, and x4, which suggested that the growth rules of osteoepiphysis of medial clavicle were highly correlated with living age. The accuracy of these mathematical models were all above 67.6% (+/- 1.0 year) and 78.5% (+/- 1.5 year).@*CONCLUSION@#The mathematical models with reasonable accuracy could be manageable in practice to confirm the conclusion of the atlas method. The current study can contribute to the single skeletal age evaluation.

Bone development trend in the knee joint of Tibetan teenagers in Aba Prefecture of Sichuan Province / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To discuss bone development trend in the knee joint of Tibetan teenagers in Sichuan province and to effectively update the database for estimating the living age of Tibetan teenagers in terms of bone age of the knee joint.@*METHODS@#Radiographs including epiphysis of distal femur, proximal tibia and proximal fibula were taken from 483 Tibetan male and female teenagers aged from 14 to 19 years old in Aba prefecture of Sichuan province in order to observe epiphyseal growth situation. The descriptive data of the epiphyseal closure ages of these teenagers' knee joints were statistically analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software.@*RESULTS@#The distal femur epiphyseal closure occurred earliest, while the proximal fibula epiphyseal closure occurred latest. The epiphyseal growth of knee joints of females occurred about one year earlier than that of males.@*CONCLUSION@#The forensic information and data related to Tibetan teenagers' bone age identification should be updated regularly. These results provide potential value for the practice of forensic medicine, anthropology and clinical medicine.

The staging method of sternal end of clavicle epiphyseal growth by thin layer CT scan and imaging reconstruction / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish a CT staging method of sternal end of clavicle epiphyseal growth for teenagers by thin layer CT scan, multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and volume reconstruction (VR) technologies.@*METHODS@#The CT imaging characteristics, which collected from 460 teenagers (aged from 15 to 25) in East and South China, were studied through both sternal ends of clavicles' imagings by thin layer coronal CT scan and axial CT scan, MPR and VR technologies. The parameters of sternal end of clavicle including the longest diameter of epiphysis, the longest diameter of metaphysis, their length ratio, area of epiphysis, area of metaphysis, and their area ratio were measured and calculated in order to establish new classification.@*RESULTS@#Based on the staging method of Schmeling, integrating the CT imaging reconstruction information of sternal end of clavicle, the new classification of sternal end of clavicle epiphyseal growth were divided into 1 to 5 stages, and stage 2 and stage 3, respectively, contained a, b and c sub-classification.@*CONCLUSION@#This new classification has merits of large sample size, wide age range and easy operability. By using CT imaging reconstruction techniques and analyzing the data which closely related to sternal end of clavicle epiphyseal growth of teenagers, the feasibility of the staging method could be increased.

Progress in thin layer CT scan technology in estimating skeletal age of sternal end of clavicle / 法医学杂志

It is practical value for determination the teenagers whether the age is full of the legal responsibility age of 18 years old or not by estimating skeletal age of sternal end of clavicle. The traditional methods mainly based on X-ray radiography. However, sternal end of clavicle and adjacent lung, bronchus, sternum, rib, transverse process of thoracic vertebra are overlapped each other. As a result of overlapping, there will be obtained false negative or positive film reading results when according to X-ray observation of epiphyseal growth of sternal end of clavicle, which directly affect the scientificalness and accuracy of estimating of skeletal age. In recent years, the scholars at home and abroad have started to use thin layer CT scan technology to estimate skeletal age of the sternal end of clavicle. With the 2D and 3D CT recombination technology, the accuracy of the film reading distinctly improves by making the shape, size and position of epiphysis displayed clearly. This article reviews the application and research progress of thin layer CT scanning technology in estimating skeletal age of sternal end of clavicle at home and abroad, analyzes the superiority and value of thin layer CT scan technology, which applied to skeletal age of sternal end of clavicle.

Assessment of a sudden death case due to coronary artery disease based on the PMCT and forensic autopsy / 法医学杂志

It is never an easy thing to diagnose heart vascular disease only depending on the unenhanced postmortem computed tomography (PMCT). This article reported a case of sudden natural death after the complaint of anterior chest pain in which coronary artery calcification (CAC) was clearly displayed using PMCT scan. The entire coronary artery system was almost reconstructed via multiplanar reformation (MPR) and volume-rendering reconstruction (VR), and the total calcium score of the coronary arteries was obtained with CaScoring automatic analysis software. The results showed that CAC was conspicuous; the total calcium score was 640.3, considerably higher than 400. The pulmonary ground-glass opacity (GGO) and small amount of fluid both in the subglottic trachea and main bronchi were also found. The imaging results confirmed those of autopsy. In addition, the results concluded that PMCT might serve as an invaluable adjunct to the classic autopsy procedure.

Long-term trend of bone development in the contemporary teenagers of Chinese Han nationality / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To further improve the accuracy of bone age identification using the time of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion of 7 joints to estimate the age of living individuals.@*METHODS@#DR films were taken from 7 parts including sternal end of clavical and the left side of shoulder, elbow, carpal, hip, knee and ankle joints of 1 709 individuals who came from eastern China, central China and southern China, whose ages were between 11.0 and 20.0 years. From those 7 joints 24 osteal loci were selected as bone age indexes, which could better reflect age growth of teenagers. The characteristics of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion were observed, and the mean and age range of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion were calculated.@*RESULTS@#The fusion time of the 24 epiphyses were advanced at different degrees, the most obvious epiphyses the sternal end of clavicle, scapular acromial end, distal end of the radius, distal end of the ulna, iliac crest, ischial tuberosity, the upper and lower end of tibia and fibula. The appearance time of sternal end of clavicle, scapular acromial end, iliac crest and ischial tuberosity epiphyses were all found to be after the age of 12, and the female's age, approximately 1 year ahead of schedule in comparison with the male's.@*CONCLUSION@#The relevant forensic information and data for bone age identification should be updated every 10-15 years so as to provide accurate and objective evidence for court testimony, conviction and sentencing.

Analysis of variation of Han male adolescent bone development in Hainan, Henan and Zhejiang provinces / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the difference of bone development of the Han male adolescents in Hainan, Henan and Zhejiang provinces.@*METHODS@#All radiographs including sternal end of clavicle, pelvis and six main bone joints taken from 877 Han male adolescents aged between 12.00 and 20.00 in Hainan, Henan and Zhejiang provinces were reviewed. Twenty-four indices of skeletal development were analyzed based on "The Grading Standards" of skeletal growth of teenagers and then the bone age were calculated using mathematical model functions. The ratios of the bone age and the chronological age were then analyzed by statistical software.@*RESULTS@#The development of Hainan male adolescents' skeleton were about 1.09 years and 1.26 years earlier than that in Henan and Zhejiang at the age group of 12.00-12.99 years. The development of Hainan male adolescents' skeleton were about 0.70 years and 1.38 years earlier than that in Henan and Zhejiang at the age group of 13.00-13.99 years, while the development of Henan male adolescents' skeleton were about 0.68 years earlier than that in Zhejiang in this age group. The development of Hainan male adolescents' skeleton were about 0.79 years later than that in Henan at the age group of 18.00-18.99 years. The development of Hainan male adolescents' skeleton were about 0.70 years and 0.95 years later than that in Henan and Zhejiang at the age group of 19.00-20.00 years.@*CONCLUSION@#There are significant differences in the skeleton development of Han male adolescents between the provinces of Hainan, Henan and Zhejiang. These results provide potential value for the practice of forensic medicine, anthropology and clinical medicine.

The analysis of variation of Han female adolescent bone development in Henan and Zhejiang province / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the difference of Han female adolescent bone development in Henan and Zhejiang province.@*METHODS@#All radiography including sternal end of clavicle and six main bone joints were taken from 599 female adolescents with age between 12 to 19 in Henan and Zhejiang province. Twenty four skeletal development indexes were analyzed based on "The Grading Standards" of skeletal growth of teenagers and then the bone age were calculated using mathematical model functions. The ratios of the bone age and the chronological age were analyzed by statistical software.@*RESULTS@#The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.39 years earlier than that in Zhejiang at the age of 14-15 years old. The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.37 years later than that in Zhejiang at the age of 15-16 years old. The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.38 years later than that in Zhejiang at the age of 18-19 years old. There was no statistics significance in other age group.@*CONCLUSION@#The female adolescent bone development in Henan province is faster at earlier stage and then slower than that in Zhejiang province. The results provide potential value for the forensic medicine, anthropology and clinical medicine.

The trend of epiphyseal development of knee and ankle joints in teenagers and age estimation / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#According to the features of epiphyseal development of knee and ankle joints in male and female teenagers, the trend of epiphyseal development was analyzed and the possibility of its application in age estimation was discussed.@*METHODS@#Firstly, radiographs of adem position were taken from both sides of knee and ankle joints from 1709 individuals from Eastern China, Central China, and Southern China (Age: 11-21 years old). Secondly, 5 osteal loci were selected as bone age markers from the two joints. Thirdly, characteristics of epiphyseal development were observed systematically and comprehensively. Fourthly, the proportions of "epiphyseal fusion" in different age groups were calculated, and confirmed the numbers of people which were included by epiphyseal fusion of knee and ankle joints. Finally, age range of each epiphyseal fusion was calculated by mathematical statistical analysis.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the data of 1960s', the age of 5 epiphyseal fusions was earlier about 2-3 years. However, the results were basically the same as the recent studies.@*CONCLUSION@#The data on the time of epiphyseal fusion were updated. It is important to determine the accuracy in age estimation in male and female teenagers.

Imaging manifestation and medicolegal significance of bipartite patella / 法医学杂志

Bipartite patella is uncommon in clinical medicine. It is formed by two or more ossification centers It is repeatedly misdiagnosed as patellar fracture in clinical practice. which do not fused in adolescence. In order to elevate the recognition of imaging signs of bipartite patella and to avoid the fault in medicolegal expertise testimony, three cases of bipartite patella were analyzed in combination of literature review, and the possible causes, histological changes, imaging signs, and clinical manifestation of bipartite patella were also discussed. The three cases concerned were all adults, two male and one female. They all felt pain after knee joint injury and were diagnosed as patellar fracture in medical institutions. Two cases were appraised on the degree of injury and one was on the degree of disability. According to Saupe's grouping, two cases were group III, and one was group II and III. In the practice of medicolegal expertise testimony, recognizing imaging signs of bipartite patella could provide more rigorous and objective conclusion.

Progress in skeletal age estimation with measurement method of X-ray film / 法医学杂志

Age estimation by the measurement method is to get the data such as the length, width, thickness, area of the ossification center, transverse diameter of the metaphysis, transverse diameter of osteoepiphysis, width of the epiphyseal line and the ratio between the diaph and the epiphyseal, by measuring the different bones of human in different ages with the radiological technology and to explore the relationship between these data and the life age by statistics. According to the relationships the personal life age may be estimated. In this article the measurement methods above mentioned and its application in age estimation were reviewed.

Eyeball structure changes in high myopic patients and their significance for forensic assessment / 法医学杂志

There are irreversible eyeball structural changes in high myopic patients. These changes include axial length, corneal radius, anterior chamber depth, fundus degeneration, macula thickness, etc. There is a close relationship between the damage degree of visual function and these changes. The incidence of complications, such as vitreous opacity, posterior vitreous detachment, cataract, glaucoma, posterior staphyloma and retina detachment, is also highly related to the myopia diopter. More and more researches have indicated that the myopia diopter and the level of visual function are affected by multiple factors. It is promising to detect all of these changes by different kinds of methods, and to assess visual function through these changes. By clarifying these changes, it is also useful to distinguish traumatic damage from disease to provide evidence for forensic assessment of eye injuries.

Assessment of skeletal age in Chinese male adolescents / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To develop medicolegal expertise standard to assess skeletal age of Chinese male adolescents by joint X-ray.@*METHODS@#Radiographs of male adolescent aged 11 to 20 years were obtained in Southern, Central, and Eastern China. The bone development process were graded according to morphology characteristics in radiograph based on the appearance of secondary ossification centers and the arrest of epiphysises. All statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS and SAS.@*RESULTS@#Most indexes were correlated to age. Optimization multiple regression equation was created to estimate age of adolescent. Discriminatory equations were established to distinguish the age of 14, 16 or 18 years.@*CONCLUSION@#More anatomical site evaluation and more index application can improve the accuracy rate. The methods can be used in age determination by skeleton in Chinese male adolescents.

Mathematical models of forensic bone age assessment of living subjects in Chinese Han female teenagers / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish mathematical models which are used to assess bone age of living subjects in Chinese Han female teenagers.@*METHODS@#Radiographs were taken from 838 normal Chinese female subjects aged from 11 to 20 years old including sternal end of clavical and the left side of shoulder, elbow, carpal, hip, knee and ankle joints,which were from Middle China, South China and East China. Then read and grade the 24 osteal loci in accordance with the grading criteria of skeletal growth of teenagers. Meanwhile, the influencing factors such as: height, body mass and location are all taken into account. To explore the associativity between each index and chronological age, all the statistic procedures were finished by SAS 8.1 and SPSS 11.0.@*RESULTS@#To construct several combining multiple regression mathematical models that use the arrested extent of epiphysis of sternal end of clavical and six joints to assess the chronological age of living subjects in Chinese Han female teenagers, and establish some Fisher's discriminatory analysis equations which are used to determine whether the chronological age of Chinese Han female teenagers has been to 14, 16 and 18 years old or not.@*CONCLUSION@#These mathematical models which used to assess the age of living subjects has profused the methods of forensic bone age identification of living subjects. It also made the methods and conclusions much more scientific and accurate.