Development of a method to estimate skeletal age at death in adults using the acetabulum and the auricular surface on a Portuguese population.

Aging techniques that use the posterior or middle part of the pelvis are of interest because this part of the body is very resistant to decay. In a preliminary study, acetabular criteria correlated with age were isolated. In a second study, three acetabular criteria and four auricular surface criteria were described and it was demonstrated that it is of interest to associate these criteria. The goal of the present study was to test these criteria in a larger sample and to elaborate a standardized procedure for the use of these criteria. The study concerned 462 os coxae (hip bones) of known age and sex. All of the criteria are correlated with age. Establishing a score allows a better correlation with age with lower intra-/inter-observer variability. Seven categories of overall score corresponding to eight age groups were defined and the probabilities of belonging to an age group depending on the overall score were calculated. The first main advantage of this procedure is that it is still applicable when only some parts of the body remain. The other benefit is its ability to discriminate older people.