Age estimation through histological study of trabecular volume and cortical bone width of the iliac crest

Abstract

There have been many methods proposed to estimate the age of human bones in forensic medicine or in forensic anthropology, including those assessing histological structures. In this study, age was evaluated through the histomorphometric study of trabecular volume and cortical width of the right iliac crest. A total of 25 samples were obtained from necropsies of judicial cases, ages ranging from 13-58 years, who had died a sudden or violent death. From a total of 25 studied samples, 16 correspond to males and 9 to females. The samples were obtained using Bordier's trocar for bone biopsy, in a period not exceeding 24 hours after death. The samples were examined without decalcification, with 96º alcohol dehydration and embedding in methyl methacrylate, employing a cut with a microtome Reichert of 3 μm thick. The sections were fixed in sheets slide and stained, using toluidine blue, Goldner trichrome and hematoxylin -eosin methods. The obtained images were digitally processed through a program of image analysis and data were analyzed using the package SPSS statistical. The analysis results showed that the combination of the trabecular volume and cortical width is a predictible variable of the age in those subjects involving no suffering from deterioration of bone and mineral metabolism.