Closing the Age Gap Epiphyseal Union of Cervical

Closing the Age Gap: Epiphyseal Union of Cervical Vertebral Centra as Compared to Those of Thoracic and First Two Lumbar in the Estimation of Chronological Age at Death in Teenage and Young Adult Skeletons.

The Problem • Sub-Adult age estimation methods specifically define particular ages, but only go up to 18 years • Adult age estimation techniques lump individuals between 15 and 24 in one age group

Goal To develop an age estimation method for teenagers and young adults that will allow us to more specifically estimate age at death (i. e. distinguish an 18 yr. old from a 23 yr. old, from a 27 yr. old)

Objective The objective of my study is to do a comparison of cervical vertebral ring epiphyseal union with thoracic and lumbar with regard to age estimation. Are the cervical vertebrae more, less, or similarly variable in regard to accuracy in estimating age using the ring epiphyses of the centra as compared to thoracic and lumbar?

Hypothesis I hypothesize that unions of cervical vertebrae will correlate less accurately with age at death than those of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Although the cervical vertebrae do not differ greatly from the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae, and consequently follow a similar pattern, it is because there are fewer epiphyses that the degree of fusion may not yield an age estimate as precise as one obtained from more epiphyses.

Relevant Anatomy of Cervical Vertebral Centrum or Body

The Vertebral Ring Epiphysis

Methods . Progress of union will be measured using the phase system from Albert and Maples 1995 Albert, A. M. , and Maples, W. "Stages of Epiphyseal Union for Thoracic and Lumbar Vertebral Centra as a Method of Age Determination for Teenage and Young Adult Skeletons. " Journal of Forensic Sciences 40. 4 (1995): 623 -33. Print.

Phase 0 (No Union) Billowed Surface

Phase 1 (Beginning Union) Early stages of union with noticeable gaps

Phase 2 (Recently Complete Union) Presence of line, or groove, indicates recently complete union

Phase 3 (Completed Union) No evidence of vertebral rings remaining

Future Plans I plan to publish my research in the Journal of Forensic Sciences Additionally, I plan to present this research at the annual conference of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences

Thank You! Questions?