jiafm-35-1 - forensic medicine

J Indian Acad Forensic Med. Jan-March 2013, Vol. 35, No. 1 ISSN 0971-0973
Original Research Paper
Age Determination by Gross and Radiological Aspect of
Sternum
*Chandresh I. Tailor, **Dharmesh Silajiya, ***Ganesh Govekar, *Vipul P. Chaudhari, *Bhaumesh Rajdev,
****Chirag N. Gajera
Abstract
Now a day, determination of age and sex of skeleton remains or of advanced decomposed body
is an important task for the Forensic Expert to help in the investigation of concern case. There are many
criteria for determining age like secondary sexual characteristics, dental status, appearance and fusion of
ossification centre of bones, various skull sutures. The relationship between age and degree of fusion
between manubrium & mesosternum, sternal segments, Xiphoid process with mesosternum were studied
in 116 cases at New Civil Hospital, Surat. Gross finding of fusion is compared with radiological findings.
The study group comprised (65.5%) male & (34.5%) female. In majority of the cases, gross finding
regarding fusion of sternum were observed and which were confirmed by radiological aspect. The gross
finding shows early fusion as compared to radiological findings. Study also shows sternal segments fused
in between ages of 21-30 yrs, Xiphoid process shows fusion at the age of 40 yrs and manubrium fused at
late advanced ages.
Key Words: Age estimation, Sternum, Gross & Radiological Findings, Mesosternum
Introduction:
There are many criteria for determining
age like secondary sexual characteristics, dental
status, appearance and fusion of ossification
centre of bones, various skull sutures. For
medico-legal studies, examination of human
skeleton has obviously an utmost importance for
identification purpose. For estimation of age in
late age group the forensic expert are facing lot
of problem because there are few bones which
ossify during this age group and the age
calculated gives a bigger range & so this study is
done to find out age estimation with in short
range. Sternum as an individual parameter for
the determination of age was first studied way
one in 1788 by Wenzel. He described the
difference in the Ratio between the length of the
manubrium and that of the mesosternum in both
the sexes.
Corresponding Author:
*Assistant Professor
Dept. of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology,
Govt. Medical College & New Civil Hospital
Surat- 395001, Gujarat
E-mail: chand8494@yahho.co.in
**Assoc. Prof. B. J. Medical College, Ahmadabad
***Prof and Head, GMC & New Civil Hospital,
Surat, Gujarat
*Assist. Prof, Dept. of Community Medicine,
*Assist. Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine,
****Tutor
DOR:25.7.12 DOA: 7.2.13
All these workers studied the old
parameters of sternum and also tried some new
optometric parameters, but could not establish
any new commendable parameter.
The present study is an attempt to study
the sternum in the purview of existing
parameters of the determination of age.
includes a study of fusion of manubrium with
mesosternum, sternal segments, fusion of
Xiphoid process with mesosternum in relation to
age. Gross finding of fusion is compared with
radiological findings.
Material and Methods:
116 cases of age above 10 years
including both sexes from rural and urban area
of Surat city were brought for medico-legal post
mortem examination in Department of Forensic
Medicine and Toxicology at Government Medical
College & New Civil Hospital, Surat. Information
regarding the age of the deceased were
obtained from nearest relatives and investigating
officer of concern cases during January 2008 to
December 2008.
From these cases sternums were
removed from cadaver with consent of relatives.
Recovered sternums were kept in water
containing solution of Sodium- hypo chloride for
few days for maceration and then cleaned. Dried
and cleaned sternums were examined grossly
for degree of fusion of segments of body of
sternum, manubrium sterni and xiphisternum
then all sternums were sent to the Radiological
It
21