Estimation of stature from dimensions of the fourth lumbar vertebra in contemporary middle-aged Finns

Second and third lumbar vertebral parameters for prediction of sex, height, and age in the Iranian population

In this study, we aimed to assess the association between different parameters of the second and third lumbar vertebra with age, sex, and height in the Iranian population. A total of 14 parameters of the L2 and L3 vertebra were measured from three-dimensional lumbar topography. The measured parameters included vertebral length, foramen diameter, foramen width, endplate depth, endplate width, spinal process height, spinal process length, transverse process distance, the height of the vertebral body, articular process height inferior, articular process height superior, pedicle height, pedicle width, and maximum distance between articular processes. A total of 100 patients, including 46 males (46%) and 54 females (54%), were enrolled in this study. Our findings showed that most L2 and L3 parameters could differentiate males from females, with the area under the curve between 0.620 and 0.888. The majority of L2 and L3 parameters were positively associated with height in both males and females. Regarding age, there was a significant positive association between the spinal process length of L2 and vertebral length, spinal process height, and spinal process length of L3 with age in males. Also, several parameters of L2 and L3 were associated with age in females. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the parameters of the second and third lumbar vertebra could be valuable in the determination of the age, height, and sex of the Iranian population. Our results could have practical implications in forensic anthropology in serious events like earthquakes.

Height Estimation from Vertebral Parameters on Routine Computed Tomography in a Contemporary Elderly Australian Population: A Validation of Existing Regression Models

The aim of this study is to compare previously published height estimation formulae in a contemporary Australian population using vertebral measurements readily available on abdominal CT. Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing a planning CT prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a 12-month period was conducted; 96 participants were included in the analysis from a total of 137, with 41 excluded due to incomplete data. Seven vertebral measurements were taken from the CT images and height estimates were made for each participant using multiple regression equations from the published literature. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare actual height to estimated height. Many of the models failed to accurately predict patient height in this cohort, with only three equations for each sex resulting in a predicted height that was not statistically significantly different to actual height. The most accurate model in female participants was based on posterior sacral length and resulted in a mean difference between an actual and calculated height of 0.7 cm (±7.4) (p = 0.520). The most accurate model in male participants was based on anterior sacrococcygeal length and resulted in a mean difference of -0.6 ± 6.9 cm (p = 0.544). Height estimation formulae can be used to predict patient height from common vertebral parameters on readily available CT data. This is important for the calculation of anthropometric measures for a variety of uses in clinical medicine. However, more work is needed to generate accurate prediction models for specific populations.

The status and future of forensic archaeology and anthropology in Finland

In this paper we discuss the history and development of forensic archaeology and anthropology in Finland. Current status of the fields and some future prospects are also highlighted. We offer some potential reasons for why so little research related to forensic archaeology or anthropology is conducted in Finland. To set the forensic archaeology and anthropology in Finland into a broader setting, we discuss the awareness of the fields among Finnish archaeologists, anthropologists, and enthusiasts via the results of an online survey conducted in November 2021. In this manuscript we also delve into some inner workings of Finnish law enforcement and voluntary organisations in order to show how forensic archaeologists and anthropologists could fit into criminal investigations in Finland.

Stature estimation of Malaysians using post-mortem computed tomography images of the spine

Background

Stature estimation is important in medical investigations to identify victims and is most accurate using anatomical methods utilizing the entire skeleton. However, in cases of mass fatalities, it has been calculated using regression analysis formulas of different body parts. Radiology especially post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) is increasingly being used in victim identification as it is non- invasive and allows for multi planar reconstruction.

Methods

This study aims to generate stature estimation formulae using regression analysis of the vertebral column incorporating population that form the Malaysian ancestry i.e. Malay, Chinese and Indian using PMCT. This was a retrospective study involving 115 subjects who had a PMCT. Subjects consisted of Malaysian males and females (92 males and 23 females) aged 18–70 years. Cervical length (CL), thoracic length (TL), lumbar length and the whole spine length (WSL) incorporating cervical, thoracic and lumbar length were compared against cadaveric length.

Results

Whole spine length had the highest correlation coefficient of 0.570 and showed highest correlation with cadaveric length among female subjects compared to males. Whole spine length amongst the Malay was the highest followed by the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups (r = 0.671, 0.629, 0.402).

Conclusion

Our study concluded that the use of WSL from PMCT images can be used for body height estimation amongst Malaysians. This study has also successfully generated population-specific database for Malaysian experts to perform stature estimation using measurements of the vertebral column.

Stature estimation for Saudi men based on different combinations of upper limb part dimensions

Estimating stature based on body/limb parts can help define the characteristics of unidentified bodies. The most studied upper limb part is the hand, although few studies have examined whether stature can be estimated using fingers plus other hand dimensions. Moreover, there is paucity in anthropometric studies that determined whether bilateral whole limb parts (e.g., arms, forearms, and hands) are related to stature among the living subjects.This prospective cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationship between different upper limb measurements and the stature of Saudi men. Furthermore, I assessed whether upper limb asymmetry was present, and developed regression models to estimate stature based on different available measurements. Stature and 13 upper limb parameters were measured for 100 right-handed Saudi men who were 18 to 24 years old.All measurements were positively correlated with stature (P < .001), and the best single predictor was the bilateral ulnar length. Asymmetry was more pronounced in the hand measurements. A multiparameter model provided reasonable predictive accuracy (±3.77-5.68 cm) and was more accurate than single-parameter models. Inclusion of the right-side fingers improved the model's accuracy.This study developed potential models for estimating stature during the identification of bodies of Saudi men.

Baseline anthropometric indices predict change in vertebral size in early adulthood - A 10-year follow-up MRI study

The vertebral cross-sectional area (CSA) has an independent effect on vertebral strength. Recent evidence has shown that vertebral dimensions significantly increase in the third decade of life, and that lifestyle factors such as body size and composition are clearly associated with vertebral CSA. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that general anthropometric traits (stature, total body mass, lean body mass, fat mass, body mass index, waist circumference), each objectively measured at baseline, predict the change in vertebral CSA over the subsequent decade. A representative sample of young Northern Finnish adults was used (n = 371) with repeated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from ~20 and ~30 years (baseline and follow-up, respectively). Vertebral CSA was measured from the MRI scans with high reliability and low measurement error. The statistical analysis was performed using linear regression models adjusted for sex and exact length of MRI interval. According to the regression models, in descending order of effect size, lean body mass (standardized beta coefficient 0.243 [95% confidence interval 0.065-0.420]), total body mass (0.158 [0.043-0.273]), body mass index (0.125 [0.026-0.224]), waist circumference (0.119 [0.010-0.228]), and fat mass (0.104 [0.004-0.205]) were positively and significantly associated with CSA gain over the follow-up, whereas stature (0.079 [-0.066-0.224]) was not associated with CSA change. The results of this study suggest that anthropometric indices may be used for estimating subsequent change in vertebral size. In particular, greater lean body mass seems to be beneficial for vertebral size and thus potentially also for vertebral strength. Future studies should aim to replicate these associations in a dataset with longitudinal anthropometric trajectories and identify the potential common factors that influence both anthropometric traits and vertebral CSA gain.

Validation of two-dimensional vertebral body parameters in estimating patient height in elderly patients

OBJECTIVES

Standardised comparison of abdominal muscle and adipose tissue is often utilised in morphometric clinical research. Whilst measurements are traditionally standardised against the patient's height, this may not be always practically feasible. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between measurements of the vertebral body and patient height.

METHODS

We analysed cross-sectional CT scans. Measurements of the vertebral body area (VBA), anteroposterior vertebral body diameter (APVBD) and lateral vertebral body diameter (LVBD) were made by two independent investigators by manual tracing. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 standardisation and Group 2 validation. We compared height and vertebral body parameters from patients in Group 1 and mathematically modelled this relationship. We then utilised the model to predict the height of patients in Group 2 and compared this with their actual height. Observer variability was assessed using Bland-Altman plots and t-tests of differences.

RESULTS

CT scans from 382 patients were analysed. No significant intraobserver or interobserver differences were apparent when measuring vertebral body parameters. We describe models which enable the prediction of the patients' height using the measured VBA, APVBD and LVBD. No significant differences were observed between the patients predicted and actual heights in the validation group.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate an important relationship between measurements of the patient's height and the vertebral body. This can be utilised in future research when the patient's height has not been measured.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

In the absence of the patient's height, we demonstrate that two-dimensional vertebral body parameters may be reliably used to standardise morphometric measurements.

Body mass estimation from dimensions of the fourth lumbar vertebra in middle-aged Finns

Although body mass is not a stable trait over the lifespan, information regarding body size assists the forensic identification of unknown individuals. In this study, we aimed to study the potential of using the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) for body mass estimation among contemporary Finns. Our sample comprised 1158 individuals from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 who had undergone measurements of body mass at age 31 and 46 and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at age 46. MRI scans were used to measure the maximum and minimum widths, depths, and heights of the L4 body. Their means and sum were calculated together with vertebral cross-sectional area (CSA) and volume. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and reduced major axis (RMA) regression was used to produce equations for body mass among the full sample (n = 1158) and among normal-weight individuals (n = 420). In our data, body mass was associated with all the L4 size parameters (R = 0.093-0.582, p ≤ 0.019 among the full sample; R = 0.243-0.696, p ≤ 0.002 among the normal-weight sample). RMA regression models seemed to fit the data better than OLS, with vertebral CSA having the highest predictive value in body mass estimation. In the full sample, the lowest standard errors were 6.1% (95% prediction interval ±9.6 kg) and 7.1% (±9.1 kg) among men and women, respectively. In the normal-weight sample, the lowest errors were 4.9% (±6.9 kg) and 4.7% (±5.7 kg) among men and women, respectively. Our results indicate that L4 dimensions are potentially useful in body mass estimation, especially in cases with only the axial skeleton available.