Anatomy and Cell Biology

Korean Association of Anatomists (대한해부학회)
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Forensic age-at-death estimation using the sternal junction in Thai adults: an autopsy study

  • Adisuan Kuatrakul (Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University) ;
  • Vijarn Vachirawongsakorn (Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University)
  • Received : 2023.01.27
  • Accepted : 2023.03.29
  • Published : 2023.09.30
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Abstract

One of the main parameters in the analysis of skeletal remains in forensic anthropological cases is the estimation of age. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between age and the fusion status of the sternal junction. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 184 sterna from 94 females and 90 males obtained from known-age cadavers in the Thai population. By direct observation, the fusion stage of the manubrio-sternal and sterno-xiphoidal junctions was studied and divided into unfused and fused joints. The results showed that a large proportion of the sterna remain unfused throughout adulthood, with fusion observed in both young and old cadavers. Insignificant differences in the rate of fusion, the sexes and ages were observed. None of the sterna under 30 years of age in females and 32 years of age in males showed fusion of the manubrio-sternal and sterno-xiphoidal junctions. Based on the variability of the sternal fusions observed in this study, we highlighted a very limited role of the sternum alone in the estimation of age in the Thai population.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to give special thanks to Mr. Suthipol Udompunturak for his assistance with the statistical analyses. We also thank Ms. Maneerat Saithong for her help with the preparation of photographs. We are also indebted to Mr. Mark Simmerman for the English-language editing of this manuscript. Finally, we thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions.

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