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

UNICEF estimates that around 50 million children are not registered at birth-no record of age. In the UK in ,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 age group (2009) Asylum

Current Practices Use of : 1.Psychological assessment 2.External physical assessment (secondary sexual characteristics) 3.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 1.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

Any Questions?