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Stature is one of the most important parameters in personal identification for physical and forensic anthropologists. Stature can be extimated from decomposed and fully or partially akeletonized human remains. Many Authors developed anatomical methods based on measurements of the whole skeleton or mathematical methods based on measurements of single bones, from which they obtained regression formulae for calculating the stature. In this review, we focused on the vertebral column and compared the corresponding regression formulae according to population, sex and age by a critical analysis of the literature.

The aim of this preliminary research is to investigate the reliability of a new qualitative parameter, called Trabecular Bone Score (TBS), recently proposed for evaluating the microarchitectural arrangement of cancellous bone in scans carried out by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Vertebral bodies of 15 fresh samples of lumbar spines of adult pig were analysed either in basal conditions and with altered microarchitecture of the cancellous bone obtained by progressive drilling. The examined bony areas do not show changes in bone mineral density (BMD), whereas TBS values decrease with the increasing alteration of the vertebral microtrabecular structure. Our preliminary data seem to confirm the reliability of TBS as a qualitative parameter useful for evaluating the microarchitectural strength in bony areas quantitatively analysed by DXA.

The aim of this preliminary study is to develop a methodology to evaluate the vascularization of fetal brain in normal and abnormal canditions by three-dimensional sonography associated to Power Doppler (3DPD), with application of Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL) that allows to derive vascularization and flow indexes. In this connction, we propose a new method of standardization of the setting and the acquisition mode, choosing in different fetuses and at different gestational ages the same anatomical volumes, corresponding to five spherical regions of interest. In particular, tu study the overall vascularization of the fetal brain, we use a sphere with a diameter corresponding to the bi-parietal distance. To evaluate the regional vascularization, we identify four sampling spherical sites, two in each hemisphere. This standard technical approach according to correct morphological criteria allows to exclude from the analysis vascular territories external to the brain.

The aim of this preliminary study is to propose a new methodological approach to the study of thymic morphology and volume in human fetus by ultrasound, using mathematical three-dimensional (3D) models and comparing them to the volumes obtained by Virtual Organ Computer-aided (VOCAL). Thymic volume and morphology of two fetuses at 21 and at 28 weeks of gestational age were reconstructed using VOCAL system and two different 3D models of fetal thymus were created with a CAD 3D software by an addition of geometrical solids: a conical model for the 21 weeks thymus; an elliptical model for the 28 weeks thymus. We believe that dysmorphism, volume and involution of fetal thymus should be investigated by this method during pregnancy. The relationship between the volumes obtained by VOCAL and those obtained with 3D models should be confirmed by further studies.

Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a method that allowed us to obtain images and quantitative informations about early bone mineralization in human fetuses.DXA utilizes two x-ray beams with different levels of energy to calculate the bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) values.We analysed different zones of fetal spines and femurs with a Hologic QDR 1000 X-ray densitometer with “Ultra-Hi-Resolution” software, that allowed to study small specimens.The scans were carried out on dry bones directly without interposition of media simulating soft tissues.The minimum value of BMD detected with the DXA technique is 0.06 g/cm2.The DXA technique allowed us to evaluate the ossification pattern of fetal bone and to demonstrate the first appearances of ossification centres in early prenatal life, furthermore DXA is able to detect the presence of an individual variability in bone density since prenatal life.