Estimation of age at death in human males from quantitative histology of bone fragments

Abstract

This study was conducted to quantitate microstructural age changes in human bone cortex. Ground undecalcified cross sections were prepared from femur, tibia, fibula, humerus, radius and ulna and measured for cortical thickness, medullary cavity diameter, osteon count, osteon diameter, osteon perimeter, Haversian canal diameter, Haversian canal area, Haversian canal perimeter and Haversian lamellae count. These measurements were obtained from 50 male subjects, ranging in age from 21 to 78 years. Multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate age at death from the microstructural parameters. The osteon count and Haversian lamellae count were increased with age, while Haversian canal size decreased with age. Further analysis showed that the osteon count had the most significant correlation with age, while Haversian canal perimeter had the least significant correlation with age. Multivariate regression analysis showed that in this age group, age could be estimated to within 10.94 years of the true value in 98% of males. Age validation on 16 subjects by using the equation showed a close approximation of ages between known and estimated ages. Racial differences were not analysed. It can be concluded that microstructure of bone cortex can be quantitated to estimate age at death more accurately. Future research needs to include race, sex and metabolic influences on age estimation. This would have significant medico-legal and anthropological implications.