Age-related morphological changes of the pubic symphyseal surface: using three-dimensional statistical shape modeling

Abstract

Computational analysis of the pubic symphyseal surface is widely used for accurate age estimation, offering quantitative precision through the detection of subtle morphological changes. However, these methods often lack insights into the underlying morphological changes across different age groups. To bridge this gap, the study utilizes statistical shape modeling (SSM), a versatile tool capable of describing diverse morphological variations within populations. This study aimed to elucidate the direction and extent of these morphological changes, identify the contributing factors, and pinpoint key variations crucial for distinguishing between age groups. Computed tomography (CT) scans of 252 subjects from the National Forensic Service of South Korea were employed, subjected to preprocessing and landmark-based alignment. Through this approach, the study visualized and validated significant age-related morphological changes and highlighted the shape variations essential for differentiating between consecutive age groups. This study holds significance in elucidating the intricate nature of age-related morphological changes in the pubic symphyseal surface. Thus, these findings can serve as valuable cornerstones for enhancing age-at-death estimation techniques in forensic anthropology.