Forensic age estimation via magnetic resonance imaging of knee in the Turkish population: use of T1-TSE sequence

Oguzhan Ekizoglu,Silke Grabherr,Mustafa Bozdag,Negahnaz Moghaddam,Can Doruk Basa,Ismail Eralp Kacmaz,Ali Er

doi:10.1007/s00414-020-02402-0

Oguzhan Ekizoglu, Silke Grabherr + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02402-0

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Abstract

The evaluation of epiphyseal areas by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for forensic age estimation is an important supportive diagnostic method to prevent repeated radiation exposure without a valid medical reason. There are still not enough individuals being analyzed with MRI for age estimation. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of T1-weighted turbo spin echo (T1-TSE) MRI sequences in determining the degree of ossification of the distal femoral and proximal tibial epiphyses in a Turkish population. In this study, images from 649 patients (335 males and 314 females) aged 10–30 years were retrospectively evaluated with sagittal T1-weighted turbo spin echo (T1-TSE) MRI sequences of the knee. Proximal tibial and distal femoral epiphysis were scored by two different observers twice using the combined staging system described by Schmeling and Kellinghaus. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between age and ossification stages of the distal femoral and proximal tibial epiphyses (p < 0.001). The intra- and inter-observer reliabilities in evaluating the femur and tibia were separately determined and gave promising results and Cohen’s kappa statistics ranged from κ = 0.886 and κ = 0.961. The minimal ages of patients with stage 4 ossification were 15.1 years for females and 15.8 years for males for the distal tibial epiphysis and 15.4 years for females and 17 years for males for the distal femoral epiphysis. This study show that (T1-TSE) MRI and the applicability and Schmeling and Kellinghaus staging method of the knee can be performed for living 14- to 17-year-old individuals in need of a supportive noninvasive method for estimating forensic age.

Highlights

Failure to submit a valid birth registration to legal authorities remains a problem for underdeveloped countries as well as a legal problem for immigrants from these and developed countries [1]
An increasing number of studies have been published in recent years, especially for MR-based methods, such noninvasive methods have not yet been included in the AGFAD (Study Group on Forensic Age Diagnostics of the German Association of Forensic Medicine) proposal
The results showed that the data obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee region is a potential supportive age estimation method for German and Chinese population [14,15,16,17, 20]

Summary

Introduction

Failure to submit a valid birth registration to legal authorities remains a problem for underdeveloped countries as well as a legal problem for immigrants from these and developed countries [1]. In forensic medical evaluations, the approach recommended by the “Forensic Age Diagnostics of the German Society of Legal Medicine” is a “combination of a physical and. An increasing number of studies have been published in recent years, especially for MR-based methods, such noninvasive methods have not yet been included in the AGFAD (Study Group on Forensic Age Diagnostics of the German Association of Forensic Medicine) proposal. This can be explained by the lack of an adequate and comparative database

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