Assessment of age at death by microscopy: unbiased quantification of secondary osteons in femoral cross sections

Forensic Science International : Synergy
Niels LynnerupJørgen L Thomsen

Abstract

The microscopic method of age at death determination was introduced by Kerley in 1965 [E.R. Kerley, The microscopic determination of age in human bone, Am. J. Phys. Anthropol, 23 (1965) 149-163.]. However, even though the method has been revised several times, there remain some fundamental issues concerning the reliability of the methods. This is because several basic histological features seen in a cross section of a bone have to be quantified according to the method, but the definition, and hence quantification, of these features leaves room for subjectivity. In a previous study we found that some of these features (osteon fragments and Haversian canals) could not be identified reliably. Only secondary osteons could be identified with a low inter and intra observer error. Furthermore, since the histological features are quantified in only parts of an entire bone cross section, the selection of these parts or areas is a potential source of bias. Finally, unless an unbiased method is used for addressing features on the borders of the selected areas, this will also introduce error. These issues have not been addressed specifically in previous studies. In this study, we used the methods of stereology to choose the regions of inte...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Apr 7, 2010·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Catherine CannetBertrand Ludes
Sep 29, 2007·Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada·Jianzhong FuKyriakos D Papadopoulos
Jan 24, 2014·Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine·Marjan MansourvarFariza Hanum Nasaruddin
Jul 31, 2012·Science & Justice : Journal of the Forensic Science Society·Rafael Fernández CastilloMirjana Djorojevic
Oct 20, 2015·Journal of Forensic Sciences·Scott DillonPaul Felts
Mar 17, 2010·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Chiara Villa, Niels Lynnerup
Jul 29, 2011·Medicine, Science, and the Law·Anne KlysnerHans Petter Hougen
Feb 25, 2020·Journal of Forensic Sciences·Suzanna MichenerDavid Swanlund
Apr 11, 2019·International Journal of Legal Medicine·D BothaM Steyn

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