Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39289206›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of legal medicine2025

Age estimation from median palatine suture using computed tomography reconstructed 3D images: a comparison of Northern and Southwestern Chinese populations.

Ye Xue, Fei Fan, Meng Liu, Shuai Luo, Huikun Yang, Yuxiao Sun, Mengjun Zhan, Zhao Peng, Zhigang Su, Hong Du and 2 more

Erratum issuedAbstract readComparative Study
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In one paragraph

Article in International journal of legal medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Ye Xue *West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Fei Fan *West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Meng LiuCollege of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, People's Republic of China.
Shuai LuoWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Huikun YangWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Yuxiao SunWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Mengjun ZhanWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Zhao PengDepartment of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Zhigang SuDepartment of Radiology, Beidaihe Hospital, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, 066100, People's Republic of China.
Hong DuCriminal Investigation Department of Sichuan Provincial Public Security Bureau, Chengdu, 610015, People's Republic of China.
Yuchi ZhouWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China. 19088414@qq.com.
Zhenhua DengWest China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China. dengzhenhua@scu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8585-853X

Funding

Key Laboratory of Forensic Science and Technology at College of Sichuan Province 2024ZD04Key Research and Development Program of Sichuan Province 24ZDYF0181National Natural Science Foundation of China 81971801National Natural Science Foundation of China 82471915Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province 2024NSFSC1517Opening Project of Key Laboratory of Evidence Science (China University of Political Science and Law) ,Ministry of Education 2024KFKT02
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To investigate the potential of computed tomography (CT) images of median palatine suture (MP) for adult age estimation in the Northern and Southwestern Chinese populations. A total of 1110 cranial CT scans from individuals aged 10-79 years, including 557 northern Chinese and 553 southwestern Chinese, were collected for analysis. After volume reformation and multiplanar reconstruction, a total of 20 slices of median palatine suture were selected from each individual. The closure of sutures was analyzed into four stages, and the cumulative scores of 20 slices were recorded as the suture closure score (SCS). The correlations between SCS and age were compared among the two Chinese populations residing in diverse geographic regions. Regression models were established for age estimation. The estimation accuracy was evaluated based on the test set. The mean absolute error (MAE) and the correlation between predicted age and chronological age were calculated to evaluate estimation accuracy. The SCS of MP exhibited a significant correlation with age (0.613, northern male; 0.678, southwestern male; 0.730, northern female; 0.704, Southwestern female; 0.662, total). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in SCS among different regions and sex groups (p < 0.001). The cubic regression model had the highest R2 value in all subjects, especially among Northern females and Southwestern males, while the power and quadratic regression models showed the highest R2 value in Northern males and Southwestern females, respectively. In the test set, the Northern cohort demonstrated a lower MAE (9.06 ± 7.32 years, males; 9.17 ± 5.28 years, females) compared to the Southwestern cohort (9.19 ± 7.49 years, male; 10.61 ± 6.83 years, female). Additionally, it was observed that males exhibited a lower MAE than females in both regional groups. This study demonstrated the potential utility of CT images of the MP for age estimation in Chinese populations, emphasizing the significance of incorporating regional and sex factors within this context.

Indexed as

Age Determination by SkeletonCranial SuturesImaging, Three-DimensionalPalate, HardAdolescentAdultAgedChildChinaEast Asian PeopleFemaleForensic AnthropologyHumansMaleMiddle AgedTomography, X-Ray ComputedAge estimationComputed tomographyCranial suture closureForensic anthropologyMedian palatine sutureRegional differenceRegression analysisSuture closure score

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.