Abstract
The estimation of an individual's age at death plays a critical role in the investigation of unidentified human remains. The Suchey-Brooks method, which involves the analysis of degenerative morphological changes in the pubic symphysis, is currently widely used to estimate age in adults. This study tested the applicability of the Suchey-Brooks method on a contemporary adult Australian (Victorian) subpopulation by observing three-dimensional volume-rendered postmortem computed tomographic (PMCT) reconstructions of the pubic symphysis of 204 individuals aged 15-100years. Results showed the method was reliable for females (85% correct allocations) but not for males (67% correct allocations). It is therefore recommended that extreme caution be used when applying the Suchey-Brooks method for estimating age at death of an individual in this subpopulation from PMCT images. The results suggest further investigation into alternate age estimation methods is required.
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