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Age and gender-dependent bone density changes of the human skull disclosed by high-resolution flat-panel computed tomography

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Abstract

Introduction

The objective of this article was to estimate the age at death in forensic or anthropologic applications based on human skull investigation. Sex-dependent differences were analyzed.

Methods

Digital, high-resolution, flat-panel-based volumetric computed tomography (eXplore Locus Ultra scanner) images (165,920) of 244 European human skulls–163 males, 81 females–were analyzed according to their radiological bone density, based on Hounsfield units (H) that are directly related to the x-ray attenuation of the scanned material. Data were collected by the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg during 2007 and 2008. Correlation analysis was used for data description.

Results

Human skull density estimates are widely scattered as a function of age for both sexes. Male skull bone density remains constant during lifetime, whereas female skull bone density decays slowly from approximately 20 years onwards.

Conclusions

Bone density decay only theoretically provides a new method to determine age at death for adult females. Due to the scattering of the data, an accuracy of approximately ±18 years is found at a confidence interval of 75%, which is, unfortunately, of limited practical interest. We found new sex differences of bone density decay in the skull that are potentially of relevance for the general understanding of bone degradation processes.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Nicole Graf and Manfred Benner for the preparation of the skull specimen. We thank Sehib Tuerkay, Barbara Ahlemeyer, and Manfred Sernetz for helpful discussions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroradiology, UKGM, Justus-Liebig University, Klinikstraße 29, 35385, Giessen, Germany

    Christina Schulte-Geers, Martin Obert, Horst Traupe & Elke R. Gizewski

  2. Institute for Mathematical Stochastics, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 12-14, 01062, Dresden, Germany

    René L. Schilling

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, UKGM, Frankfurter Straße 58, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Sebastian Harth & Marcel A. Verhoff

  4. Department of Neuroradiology, University Clinic Giessen and Marburg (UKGM), Klinikstraße 29, 35385, Giessen, Germany

    Martin Obert

Authors
  1. Christina Schulte-Geers

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  2. Martin Obert

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  3. René L. Schilling

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  4. Sebastian Harth

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  5. Horst Traupe

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  6. Elke R. Gizewski

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  7. Marcel A. Verhoff

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Corresponding author

Correspondence toMartin Obert.

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Schulte-Geers, C., Obert, M., Schilling, R.L.et al. Age and gender-dependent bone density changes of the human skull disclosed by high-resolution flat-panel computed tomography.Int J Legal Med125, 417–425 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0544-3

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