Intra- and interobserver error of the Greulich-Pyle method as used on a Danish forensic sample

N Lynnerup; E Belard; K Buch-Olsen; B Sejrsen; K Damgaard-Pedersen

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005

Intra- and interobserver error of the Greulich-Pyle method as used on a Danish forensic sample

N Lynnerup, E Belard, K Buch-Olsen, B Sejrsen, K Damgaard-Pedersen

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › peer review

56 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Udgivelsesdato: 2008-Aug-6

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Forensic Science International
Vol/bind	179
Udgave nummer	2-3
Sider (fra-til)	242.e1-6
ISSN	0379-0738
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005
Status	Udgivet - 2008

Bibliografisk note

Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Age Determination by Skeleton; Age Determination by Teeth; Carpal Bones; Child; Denmark; Female; Forensic Anthropology; Humans; Male; Observer Variation; Radiography, Panoramic

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005

Citationsformater

@article{cd674a60a84211debc73000ea68e967b,

title = "Intra- and interobserver error of the Greulich-Pyle method as used on a Danish forensic sample",

abstract = "The Section of Forensic Medicine at the University of Copenhagen performs age evaluations of the living at the request of the police. The established procedure in these cases involves: (1) a physical examination; (2) an odontological examination based on evaluation of an orthopantomogram and intraoral dental radiographs. Different methods are used depending on the maturity of the individual examined; and (3) a carpal X-ray examination, using the Greulich and Pyle Atlas (GPA) method. We present the results of intra- and interobserver tests of carpal X-rays in blind trials, and a comparison of the age estimations by carpal X-rays and odontological age estimation. We retrieved 159 cases from the years 2000-2002 (inclusive). The intra- and interobserver errors are overall small. We found full agreement in 126/159 cases, and this was between experienced users and novices. Overall, the mean difference was 0.053 years, with a standard deviation of +/-0.567 years. Our results show that the direct and na{\"i}ve use of the GPA is simple and reproducible, even when applied by non-experienced users. This is probably also why the method is still widely applied, even though other authors have stated that atlas-based techniques are obsolete and ought to be replaced by other methods. Specifically, the GPA test sample consisted of American {"}white{"} children {"}above average in economic and educational status{"}, leading to the question as to how comparable subjects being scored by the GPA method today are to this original sample. Indeed, we found a minor difference in the age estimations for older juveniles between odontologists and radiologists, which may indicate that more studies on comparative dental and skeletal aging for geographically different populations would be beneficial. Finally, if using the GPA method in legal cases, we would advise that one should closely adhere to the standard deviations given, and intermediary scores should be noted and not just a resultant age. The final age statement should also address the problems of reference populations.",

author = "N Lynnerup and E Belard and K Buch-Olsen and B Sejrsen and K Damgaard-Pedersen",

note = "Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Age Determination by Skeleton; Age Determination by Teeth; Carpal Bones; Child; Denmark; Female; Forensic Anthropology; Humans; Male; Observer Variation; Radiography, Panoramic",

year = "2008",

doi = "10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005",

language = "English",

volume = "179",

pages = "242.e1--6",

journal = "Forensic Science International",

issn = "0379-0738",

publisher = "Elsevier Ireland Ltd",

number = "2-3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intra- and interobserver error of the Greulich-Pyle method as used on a Danish forensic sample

AU - Lynnerup, N

AU - Belard, E

AU - Buch-Olsen, K

AU - Sejrsen, B

AU - Damgaard-Pedersen, K

N1 - Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Age Determination by Skeleton; Age Determination by Teeth; Carpal Bones; Child; Denmark; Female; Forensic Anthropology; Humans; Male; Observer Variation; Radiography, Panoramic

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - The Section of Forensic Medicine at the University of Copenhagen performs age evaluations of the living at the request of the police. The established procedure in these cases involves: (1) a physical examination; (2) an odontological examination based on evaluation of an orthopantomogram and intraoral dental radiographs. Different methods are used depending on the maturity of the individual examined; and (3) a carpal X-ray examination, using the Greulich and Pyle Atlas (GPA) method. We present the results of intra- and interobserver tests of carpal X-rays in blind trials, and a comparison of the age estimations by carpal X-rays and odontological age estimation. We retrieved 159 cases from the years 2000-2002 (inclusive). The intra- and interobserver errors are overall small. We found full agreement in 126/159 cases, and this was between experienced users and novices. Overall, the mean difference was 0.053 years, with a standard deviation of +/-0.567 years. Our results show that the direct and naïve use of the GPA is simple and reproducible, even when applied by non-experienced users. This is probably also why the method is still widely applied, even though other authors have stated that atlas-based techniques are obsolete and ought to be replaced by other methods. Specifically, the GPA test sample consisted of American "white" children "above average in economic and educational status", leading to the question as to how comparable subjects being scored by the GPA method today are to this original sample. Indeed, we found a minor difference in the age estimations for older juveniles between odontologists and radiologists, which may indicate that more studies on comparative dental and skeletal aging for geographically different populations would be beneficial. Finally, if using the GPA method in legal cases, we would advise that one should closely adhere to the standard deviations given, and intermediary scores should be noted and not just a resultant age. The final age statement should also address the problems of reference populations.

AB - The Section of Forensic Medicine at the University of Copenhagen performs age evaluations of the living at the request of the police. The established procedure in these cases involves: (1) a physical examination; (2) an odontological examination based on evaluation of an orthopantomogram and intraoral dental radiographs. Different methods are used depending on the maturity of the individual examined; and (3) a carpal X-ray examination, using the Greulich and Pyle Atlas (GPA) method. We present the results of intra- and interobserver tests of carpal X-rays in blind trials, and a comparison of the age estimations by carpal X-rays and odontological age estimation. We retrieved 159 cases from the years 2000-2002 (inclusive). The intra- and interobserver errors are overall small. We found full agreement in 126/159 cases, and this was between experienced users and novices. Overall, the mean difference was 0.053 years, with a standard deviation of +/-0.567 years. Our results show that the direct and naïve use of the GPA is simple and reproducible, even when applied by non-experienced users. This is probably also why the method is still widely applied, even though other authors have stated that atlas-based techniques are obsolete and ought to be replaced by other methods. Specifically, the GPA test sample consisted of American "white" children "above average in economic and educational status", leading to the question as to how comparable subjects being scored by the GPA method today are to this original sample. Indeed, we found a minor difference in the age estimations for older juveniles between odontologists and radiologists, which may indicate that more studies on comparative dental and skeletal aging for geographically different populations would be beneficial. Finally, if using the GPA method in legal cases, we would advise that one should closely adhere to the standard deviations given, and intermediary scores should be noted and not just a resultant age. The final age statement should also address the problems of reference populations.

U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005

DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.005

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18602233

VL - 179

SP - 242.e1-6

JO - Forensic Science International

JF - Forensic Science International

SN - 0379-0738

IS - 2-3

ER -