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Age Assessment in the Living. Lucina Hackman. Rationale. Medical: Pinpoint timing of medical interventions Understand disease progression Assess efficacy of medical interventions Legal: Assess age of perpetrator/victim Assess age of asylum seekers. Asylum.
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Age Assessment in the Living Lucina Hackman
Rationale • Medical: Pinpoint timing of medical interventions Understand disease progression Assess efficacy of medical interventions • Legal: Assess age of perpetrator/victim Assess age of asylum seekers
Asylum • UNICEF estimates that around 50 million children are not registered at birth-no record of age. • In the UK in 2007-3,525 unaccompanied children tried to enter the country- 54% resulted in age disputes • Child trafficking (UK) is a growing issue-76% of children trafficked fall into the 14-17 age group (2009)
Current Practices Use of : Psychological assessment External physical assessment (secondary sexual characteristics) Radiographs compare skeletal maturation (ossification centres and epiphyseal fusion times) with chronological maturation (Atlases)
Ossification centres • Matches maturation of various parts of the skeleton with chronological age • Appearance of ossification centres • Changes in shape of ossification centres • Fusion of ossification centres • Use of growth-changes in size of skeletal elements
Challenges • Are the atlases still relevant today? 1. Nutrition-secular changes 2. Population differences • Is any atlas more accurate than another (in relation to each other or in relation to a modern population) • If there is an error-where does it lie and in what direction
Current Project • Access radiographs in Ninewells Hospital (numbers around 600 images for each joint area)-this is currently being undertaken • Access equivalent dataset in New Delhi, India-August 2009 • Compare results • Between Atlases 2. Between populations
Data Collection • Examine each area of joint • Compare how closely each area corresponds to the image shown for that age in the atlas • Record the discrepancy • Subject to statistical analysis