The main methods of age estimation at present mostly rely on characteristic physical and chemical changes of skeleton, soft tissue, cells, biomacromolecules and the other substances. Because physiological changes of tissues and organs during growth are extremely complicated, all methods have their limitations. In practical, it is necessary to combine several methods together in order to improve the accuracy of age estimation. This article reviewed recent development on age estimation domestically and abroad and discussed advantage and disadvantage of different methods.
Age Determination by Skeleton ; Age Determination by Teeth ; DNA/genetics* ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans

Burned bones have their unique characteristics in investigation of fire disaster/crimes, airplane disaster, explosion and other accidents. To study the morphological changes of skeletal tissue and DNA changes at different incinerating temperature might provide precise standard means to determine genera, sex, and age. Genetic locus was also applied in the above fields. The techniques to extract and detect of DNA in burning bones have been improved in recent years. In this article investigation advancement of analysis of burned bones with the morphology, histology, and molecular biology as well as the latest methods and techniques were reviewed. These results provide a new approach for further research and practice in forensic medicine.
Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Animals ; Bone and Bones/pathology* ; Burns/pathology* ; DNA/analysis* ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Sex Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Tandem Repeat Sequences ; Time Factors

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively.
Age Determination by Skeleton ; Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Forensic Anthropology/trends* ; Humans ; Sex Determination Analysis ; Software ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To build an expert system for forensic bones estimation. METHODS: By using the object oriented method, employing statistical data of forensic anthropology, combining the statistical data frame knowledge representation with productions and also using the fuzzy matching and DS evidence theory method. RESULTS: Software for forensic estimation of sex, age and height with opened knowledge base was designed. CONCLUSION This system is reliable and effective, and it would be a good assistant of the forensic technician.
Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Algorithms ; Anthropometry/methods* ; Computer Simulation ; Expert Systems ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Software Design

Bone development shows certain regularity with age. The regularity can be used to infer age and serve many fields such as justice, medicine, archaeology, etc. As a non-invasive evaluation method of the epiphyseal development stage, MRI is widely used in living age estimation. In recent years, the rapid development of machine learning has significantly improved the effectiveness and reliability of living age estimation, which is one of the main development directions of current research. This paper summarizes the analysis methods of age estimation by knee joint MRI, introduces the current research trends, and future application trend.
Epiphyses/diagnostic imaging* ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Knee Joint/diagnostic imaging*

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Determination by Skeleton ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVE: To seek a method of age determination. METHODS: This sample consists of 69 female Chinese han individuals whose ages been known. Five positions were selected from their radiograms which have been divided into three or six grade and then set up a mathematical model to deduce age by multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The standard deviation of female thyroid cartilage is 1.969 and the multiple correctation coefficient is 0.984. CONCLUSION The observation proved that age determination by radiographic feature of thyroid cartilage can be used for female Chinese han population from 18 to 60 years old.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Asian People ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Cartilage/diagnostic imaging*

OBJECTIVE: The influence on age estimation by comparing the differences between left and right side development of osteophiphysis. METHODS: 27 osteophiphysis development indexes in the X-ray films of 6 major joints and pelvises in 130 male juveniles were observed. The positions and levels of difference between left and right side development of osteophiphysis were compared. The male juvenile age by regression equation according to left side and right side were estimated respectively. RESULTS: In 76 cases, the age estimation results are the same for both sides. In 47 cases, the difference between left and right side is less than 6 months. In 7 cases, the difference is between 6 and 12 months. The error of 94.6% age estimation is within 6 months. The differences between left and right osteophiphysis development are often found in proximal humerus, distal radius, distal ulna and crista iliaca. CONCLUSION The subtle difference between left and right osteophiphysis development has no influence on age estimation.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Humerus/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Osteogenesis ; Radius/diagnostic imaging* ; Tibia/diagnostic imaging*

OBJECTIVE: To establish mathematical models which are used to assess bone age of living subjects in Chinese Han female teenagers. METHODS: Radiographs were taken from 838 normal Chinese female subjects aged from 11 to 20 years old including sternal end of clavical and the left side of shoulder, elbow, carpal, hip, knee and ankle joints,which were from Middle China, South China and East China. Then read and grade the 24 osteal loci in accordance with the grading criteria of skeletal growth of teenagers. Meanwhile, the influencing factors such as: height, body mass and location are all taken into account. To explore the associativity between each index and chronological age, all the statistic procedures were finished by SAS 8.1 and SPSS 11.0. RESULTS: To construct several combining multiple regression mathematical models that use the arrested extent of epiphysis of sternal end of clavical and six joints to assess the chronological age of living subjects in Chinese Han female teenagers, and establish some Fisher's discriminatory analysis equations which are used to determine whether the chronological age of Chinese Han female teenagers has been to 14, 16 and 18 years old or not. CONCLUSION These mathematical models which used to assess the age of living subjects has profused the methods of forensic bone age identification of living subjects. It also made the methods and conclusions much more scientific and accurate.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; China/ethnology* ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To develop medicolegal expertise standard to assess skeletal age of Chinese male adolescents by joint X-ray. METHODS: Radiographs of male adolescent aged 11 to 20 years were obtained in Southern, Central, and Eastern China. The bone development process were graded according to morphology characteristics in radiograph based on the appearance of secondary ossification centers and the arrest of epiphysises. All statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS and SAS. RESULTS: Most indexes were correlated to age. Optimization multiple regression equation was created to estimate age of adolescent. Discriminatory equations were established to distinguish the age of 14, 16 or 18 years. CONCLUSION More anatomical site evaluation and more index application can improve the accuracy rate. The methods can be used in age determination by skeleton in Chinese male adolescents.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Asian People ; Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Discriminant Analysis ; Forensic Anthropology ; Humans ; Male ; Regression Analysis