Closing the Age Gap:

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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.

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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

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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)

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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?

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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.

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Relevant Anatomy of Cervical Vertebra
Vertebral Centrum or Body
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The Vertebral Ring Epiphysis
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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.

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Phase 0 (No Union)
Billowed Surface
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Phase 1 (Beginning Union)
Early stages of union with noticeable gaps
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Phase 2 (Recently Complete Union)
Presence of line, or groove, indicates recently
complete union
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Phase 3 (Completed Union)
No evidence of vertebral rings remaining
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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

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Thank You!

• Questions?