Estimation of Age from Sternal End of Fourth Rib by its Morphological Variation: An Autopsy Study

Identification is of utmost importance in the field of Forensic Medicine. Age determination is of great interest to everyone especially for Forensic Expert. Several studies for age determination from the skeleton have been conducted in the past by various body structure measurements such as cranial suture closure, pubic symphysial metamorphosis, morphological changes of the sternal end of the rib etc. Various methods to estimate age at death are important for the study of skeletal remains.

This study was aimed to know the meta-morphological changes in the sternal end of 4th rib and to estimate the age on the basis of these changes along with its correlation with known age.

The study was conducted under the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology on 200 deceased individuals who were brought for medico-legal autopsies in the mortuary of G.G.S. Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot during time period of eighteen months from January 2017 to June 2018.

Maximum male cases were in the age group of 17-24 years i.e. 36 cases (18.0%) Pit depth (component-I) had mean age ranges from 19 to 61 years; Pit shape (component-II) had mean age ranges from 19 to 70 years; Rim and wall configurations (component-III) had mean age ranges from 19 to 67 years in case of left fourth ribs. Pit depth (component-I) had mean age ranges from 19 to 60 years; Pit shape (component-II) had mean age ranges from 20 to 61 years; Rim and wall configurations (component-III) had mean age ranges from 19 to 62 years in case of right fourth ribs.

In the present study, it was concluded that the estimation of age by component analysis parameters of meta- morphological changes at sternal end of fourth rib had given us encouraging results in our population group.