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Timme M, Steffens L, Viktorov J, Streeter A, Karch A, Schmeling A. Radiological assessment of periodontal ligament space visibility on third molars for forensic age assessment - a comparison study of three different staging scales. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1523-1531. [PMID: 38367027 PMCID: PMC11164763 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03184-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Various staging scales have been proposed for the assessment of the visibility of the periodontal ligament space of mandibular third molars on dental panoramic radiographs (PANs) for forensic age assessment in living individuals. However, up to now, there has been no systematic comparison between these staging scales available. We directly compared the 2010 staging scale proposed by Olze et al. with the 2017 staging by Lucas et al. and the 2020 staging by Guo et al. in a German study population. We evaluated 233 PANs from 115 females and 118 males aged 20.0 to 40.9 years using three independent examiners, with one examiner conducting two assessments. We examined the correlation between age and stage, as well as the inter- and intra-rater reliabilities. While the point estimates for the correlation coefficient and the reliability measures were lowest for the Guo scale and highest for the Olze scale, confidence intervals showed a large overlap, particularly for the scales of Olze et al. and Lucas et al. The correlation coefficients between stage and age were consistently lower in females than in males across all methods. In summary, we showed that the staging scales of Olze et al. and Lucas et al. were very similar. The Olze method showed higher point estimates across all analyses, and because there are more reference data available for this method, we argue that it should be preferred as the method of choice for further studies in the field. However, Guo method could be considered for instances, in which the inter-radicular periodontal ligament is not evaluable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Timme
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149, Munster, Germany.
| | - Laurin Steffens
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149, Munster, Germany
| | - Jan Viktorov
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149, Munster, Germany
| | - Adam Streeter
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Domagkstraße 3, 48149, Munster, Germany
| | - André Karch
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Domagkstraße 3, 48149, Munster, Germany
| | - Andreas Schmeling
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Röntgenstraße 23, 48149, Munster, Germany
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Bjørk MB, Bleka Ø, Kvaal SI, Sakinis T, Tuvnes FA, Eggesbø HB, Lauritzen PM. MRI segmentation of tooth tissue in age prediction of sub-adults - a new method for combining data from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd molars. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:939-949. [PMID: 38147158 PMCID: PMC11003927 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03149-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to establish a model combining MRI volume measurements from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars for age prediction in sub-adults and compare the age prediction performance of different combinations of all three molars, internally in the study cohort. MATERIAL AND METHOD We examined 99 volunteers using a 1.5 T MR scanner with a customized high-resolution single T2 sequence. Segmentation was performed using SliceOmatic (Tomovision©). Age prediction was based on the tooth tissue ratio (high signal soft tissue + low signal soft tissue)/total. The model included three correlation parameters to account for statistical dependence between the molars. Age prediction performance of different combinations of teeth for the three molars was assessed using interquartile range (IQR). RESULTS We included data from the 1st molars from 87 participants (F/M 59/28), 2nd molars from 93 (F/M 60/33) and 3rd molars from 67 (F/M 45/22). The age range was 14-24 years with a median age of 18 years. The model with the best age prediction performance (smallest IQR) was 46-47-18 (lower right 1st and 2nd and upper right 3rd molar) in males. The estimated correlation between the different molars was 0.620 (46 vs. 47), 0.430 (46 vs. 18), and 0.598 (47 vs. 18). IQR was the smallest in tooth combinations including a 3rd molar. CONCLUSION We have established a model for combining tissue volume measurements from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars for age prediction in sub-adults. The prediction performance was mostly driven by the 3rd molars. All combinations involving the 3rd molar performed well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Britt Bjørk
- Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Postboks 1109, Blindern, 00317, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Øyvind Bleka
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Rikshospitalet, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sigrid Ingeborg Kvaal
- Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Postboks 1109, Blindern, 00317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tomas Sakinis
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Ullevål, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Frode Alexander Tuvnes
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Ullevål, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Heidi Beate Eggesbø
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Ullevål, 0424, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter Mæhre Lauritzen
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Ullevål, 0424, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Life Sciences and Health, Oslo Metropolitan University, Postboks 4, St. Olavs Plass, 0130, Oslo, Norway
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