Age estimation in the Living from the knee by using MRI T2 weighting images with fat suppression / 中国法医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective The purpose of this study is to estimate the living age by MRI T2-FS images of the knee and to establish a new age estimation method without radiation in Sichuan Hans population. Methods We retrospectively evaluated sagittal T2-weighted, fat-suppression and turbo spin-echo sequence taken upon MRI of 324patients (170 males, 154 females; age 10~30) using a six-stage method. The gender difference was tested by Mann-Whitney U and the correlation between the knee and age height was tested by Spearman correlation coefficient. Regression models were built for age estimation in both genders. Results The correlation between the distal femur and age was 0.687 in males and 0.661in females and was 0.684 in males and 0.488 in females between the proximal tibia and age. Comparison of male and female revealed nonsignificant differences in the ages at the stages 1~3, 5, 6 of the distal femoral epiphysis and stage 1~3, 5 of the proximal tibial epiphysis. The fusion of distal femur commenced at 18.42 years in males and 19.36 years in females. The fusion of proximal tibia commenced at 16.93 years in males and14.68 years in females. The test of accuracy showed MAD=2.90 years in the males and MAD=3.30 years in the females in the compound regression model. Conclusion MRI T2-FS images of the knee can be an indicator for age estimation in the living and stage 6 of the distal femur can be used to determine 18-year limit.