When preparing forensic age estimates for living subjects over 18 years of age, it is crucial to evaluate the stage of ossification of the medial clavicular epiphysis. The establishment of radiation-free imaging techniques for assessment of clavicular ossification would be desirable in order to reduce the radiation exposure associated with forensic age estimations. In the present study, 84 right clavicles of test subjects 12-30 years of age were prospectively evaluated by means of ultrasound. Ossification stage classification was possible in 80 of the 84 medial clavicular epiphyses studied. In the remaining cases, stage classification was not possible due to the presence of developmental anomalies. The earliest ages at which the respective ossification stages were observed were 17.1 years for stage 2, 16.7 years for stage 3, and 22.5 years for stage 4. The age intervals observed for the ossification stages are consistent with the known data from radiological and computed tomography assessments. The present study results should be confirmed in a larger number of cases and with analysis of observer variability. Evaluation of medial clavicular epiphyseal ossification by ultrasound could ultimately be a rapid and economic non-ionizing diagnostic imaging procedure for forensic age estimation.

Due to the requirement to minimise exposure to radiation, it is desirable to develop non-ionising imaging procedures for the analysis of skeletal maturation for forensic age diagnostics in living individuals. The present pilot study analyses the applicability of ultrasound examinations for the evaluation of apophyseal ossification of the iliac crest. With reference to the sonographic staging of clavicular ossification, the maturation stages of the iliac crest apophysis of 23 male and 16 female subjects, aged 11-20 years, were determined. Ossification stage I occurred in the male subjects at a minimum age of 15.7 years. Ossification stage II was diagnosed in boys at a minimum age of 14.1 years and in girls at a minimum age of 11.7 years. The earliest observation of ossification stage III was at a chronological age of 16.2 years in males and 15.2 years in females. The earliest age of occurrence of ossification stage IV was at least 18.0 years in male test persons and at least 17.1 years in female test persons. The results obtained should be reassessed in a larger number of cases. It is to be expected that sonographic examination of the iliac crest apophysis will become established as a valid and efficient method for forensic age diagnostics in living individuals.