TY - JOUR
T1 - Age estimation by spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion in South Indian population using computed tomography
AU - Nayak, Rajesh
AU - Panakkal, Nitika C.
AU - Visakh, T.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge, Kasturba Hospital and Manipal College of Health Professions for their support to undertake this study. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the faculties and Head of the Department of Radio-diagnosis and Imaging for their cooperation in the phantom study. We also acknowledge the support of the Department of Statistics for the guidance during data analysis and interpretation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Background: Age estimation has paramount importance for the forensic practitioner. Depending on the timing of fusion, the spheno-occipital synchondrosis will be open during childhood and then later fuse during adulthood. Since there have been a lot of inconsistencies in terms of fusion degree, that can be attributed to variability in population or methodology. The aim of the present study was to determine the age of beginning of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis in the South Indian population using computed tomography. Results: The study reported a mean age of 8.38 ± 1.21 for males and 8.2 ± 1.16 for females in the stage 0 (completely open) category. Spheno-occipital synchondrosis began to fuse (stage 1) at the mean age of 11.64 ± 1.19 for males and 10.21 ± 1.19 for females. Conclusions: Spheno-occipital synchondrosis begins to close at the age of less than 15 years in males. Similarly, for females, the spheno-occipital synchondrosis begins to close at the age of less than 14 years. Also, a strong sexual dimorphism is seen as each stage of synchondrosis and starts earlier in females compared to males. In addition, the study also showed the degree of fusion increasing with age. This estimation will not only help in forensic and anthropological studies but also in assessing craniofacial growth in orthodontics.
AB - Background: Age estimation has paramount importance for the forensic practitioner. Depending on the timing of fusion, the spheno-occipital synchondrosis will be open during childhood and then later fuse during adulthood. Since there have been a lot of inconsistencies in terms of fusion degree, that can be attributed to variability in population or methodology. The aim of the present study was to determine the age of beginning of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis in the South Indian population using computed tomography. Results: The study reported a mean age of 8.38 ± 1.21 for males and 8.2 ± 1.16 for females in the stage 0 (completely open) category. Spheno-occipital synchondrosis began to fuse (stage 1) at the mean age of 11.64 ± 1.19 for males and 10.21 ± 1.19 for females. Conclusions: Spheno-occipital synchondrosis begins to close at the age of less than 15 years in males. Similarly, for females, the spheno-occipital synchondrosis begins to close at the age of less than 14 years. Also, a strong sexual dimorphism is seen as each stage of synchondrosis and starts earlier in females compared to males. In addition, the study also showed the degree of fusion increasing with age. This estimation will not only help in forensic and anthropological studies but also in assessing craniofacial growth in orthodontics.
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U2 - 10.1186/s41935-023-00348-z
DO - 10.1186/s41935-023-00348-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85161046334
SN - 2090-536X
VL - 13
JO - Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences
JF - Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences
IS - 1
M1 - 29
ER -