Spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion in modern Americans.

This study examines spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion in the modern American population and presents age ranges for forensic use. The sample includes 162 modern individuals aged 5-25 years. The basilar synchondrosis was scored as open, closing, or closed via direct inspection of the ectocranial site of the suture. Transition analysis was used to determine the average ages at which an individual transitions from unfused to fusing and from fusing to fused. The maximum likelihood estimates from the transition analysis indicate that females are most likely to transition from open to closing at 11.4 years and males at 16.5 years. Females transition from closing to closed at 13.7 years and males at 17.4 years. The probability distributions associated with these maximum likelihood estimates were used to derive age ranges for age estimation purposes. These results reflect sexual dimorphism in basilar synchondrosis fusion and agree approximately with average age at pubertal onset.

Shirley NR ，Jantz RL 《-》

Brief communication: timing of spheno-occipital closure in modern Western Australians.

The spheno-occipital synchondrosis is a craniofacial growth centre between the occipital and sphenoid bones-its ossification persists into adolescence, which for the skeletal biologist, means it has potential application for estimating subadult age. Based on previous research the timing of spheno-occipital fusion is widely variable between and within populations, with reports of complete fusion in individuals as young as 11 years of age and nonfusion in adults. The aim of this study is, therefore, to examine this structure in a mixed sex sample of Western Australian individuals that developmentally span late childhood to adulthood. The objective is to develop statistically quantified age estimation standards based on scoring the degree of spheno-occipital fusion. The sample comprises multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans of 312 individuals (169 male; 143 female) between 5 and 25 years of age. Each MDCT scan is visualized in a standardized sagittal plane using three-dimensional oblique multiplanar reformatting. Fusion status is scored according to a four-stage system. Transition analysis is used to calculate age ranges for each defined stage and determine the mean age for transition between an unfused, fusing and fused status. The maximum likelihood estimates for the transition from open to fusing in the endocranial half is 14.44 years (male) and 11.42 years (female); transition from fusion in the ectocranial half to complete fusion is 16.16 years (male) and 13.62 years (female). This study affirms the potential value of assessing the degree of fusion in the spheno-occipital synchondrosis as an indicator of skeletal age.

Franklin D ，Flavel A 《-》

Estimation of age in adolescents --the basilar synchondrosis.

Kahana T ，Birkby WH ，Goldin L ，Hiss J ... -  《-》

Age determination by spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion in Central Indian population.

The spheno occipital suture synchondrosis is a vital contributor to adolescent and adult age estimation in that it can provide an upper or lower age bound depending on its state of fusion. The present study evaluates the utility of the spheno-occipital suture fusion in age estimation of the Central Indian population. The sample includes 198 (117 males and 81 females) cadavers aged between 8 to 26 years. Grading was done using Mitra-Akhlaghi Scale as - Open, Semi closed and Closed. Our study demonstrates that a significant linear correlation exists between the age of an individual and spheno-occipital suture closure for both the sexes and observation of the degree of fusion of this single suture allows the prediction of age in mature individuals.

Pate RS ，Tingne CV ，Dixit PG 《-》

Quantification of spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion in a contemporary Malaysian population.

Timing of fusion of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis (SOS) is correlated with age. Previous research, however, has demonstrated variation in the timing of closure among different global populations. The present study aims to quantify the timing of SOS fusion in Malaysian individuals as visualised in multi-detector computed tomography (CT) scans and to thereafter formulate age estimation models based on fusion status. Anonymised cranial CT scans of 336 males and 164 females, aged 5-25 years, were acquired from the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital Sultanah Aminah. The scans were received in DICOM format and reconstructed into three-dimensional images using OsiriX. The SOS is scored as open, fusing endocranially, fusing ectocranially or completely fused. Statistical analyses are performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24. Transition analysis (Nphases2) is then utilised to calculate age ranges for each stage. To assess the reliability of an observation, intra- and inter-observer agreement is quantified using Fleiss Kappa and was found to be excellent (κ=0.785-0.907 and 0.812). The mean (SD) age for complete fusion is 20.84 (2.84) years in males and 19.78 (3.35) years in females. Transition ages between Stages 0 and 1, 1 and 2, and 2 and 3 in males are 12.52, 13.98 and 15.52 years, respectively (SD 1.37); in females, the corresponding data are 10.47, 12.26 and 13.80 years (SD 1.72). Complete fusion of the SOS was observed in all individuals above the age of 18 years. SOS fusion status provides upper and lower age boundaries for forensic age estimation in the Malaysian sample.

Hisham S ，Flavel A ，Abdullah N ，Noor MHM ，Franklin D ... -  《-》