Title: Determination of Age by Studying Radiological Fusion of Cranial Sutures and Sternum in Living Persons between the Fourth and Seventh Decade

Authors: Dr Imran Shaikh, Dr Santosh Kumar, Dr Gyan Prakash Gaur, Dr P.C.Vyas

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i1.39

Abstract

Background: Age estimation known as age evaluation, age determination, age diagnostics or age assessment in living individuals is a relatively recent area of applied research within forensic sciences.

Aims & objective: The aim of this study to the estimation of age on the basis of radiological closure of various sutures of skull and parts of sternum (manubrium and xiphoid process to the body) of living persons in the known age group of 4th and 6th decade.

Material & Method: The prospective study as many cases as available between the study period i.e. June 2015 to December 2015 visiting to MLC OPD in Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Jodhpur. All the observations will noted on a common standard proforma and later the findings would be tabulated to draw necessary conclusions. A predesigned proforma was filled up for every case, master chart was prepared. Cases were stratified into 10 year groups. The results obtained after statistical analysis will be analyzed and compared with the works of previous authors.

Results: We studied and compared upper, mid and lower components of sagittal, upper and lower half  coronal, and lambdoid sutures in males and females, and observed that suture closure starts earlier in lower  1/3rd part of sagittal suture among both males and females, however the suture fusion is earlier in males than in females.

Conclusion: From the study of cranial sutures and sternal elements individual fusion, we can accurately determine the decade of age in the living. A more precise measure of determination of age in the living would be either invasive procedure or higher radiation exposure(CT scan)  which is both not desirable and less feasible.

Keywords: Coronal suture, Sagital Suture, Lambdoid sutures, xiphoid process, manubrium.

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Corresponding Author

Dr Imran Shaikh

Senior Resident, Dept of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

Dr. S.N. Medical College, Jodhpur, Rajasthan