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. 2017 Nov;131(6):1757-1763.
doi: 10.1007/s00414-017-1662-y. Epub 2017 Aug 21.

Differentiating human versus non-human bone by exploring the nutrient foramen: implications for forensic anthropology

Vail Johnson  1 , Sophie Beckett  2 , Nicholas Márquez-Grant  1
Affiliations

Differentiating human versus non-human bone by exploring the nutrient foramen: implications for forensic anthropology

Vail Johnson et al. Int J Legal Med. 2017 Nov.

Abstract

One of the roles of a forensic anthropologist is to assist medico-legal investigations in the identification of human skeletal remains. In some instances, only small fragments of bone may be present. In this study, a non-destructive novel technique is presented to distinguish between human and non-human long bones. This technique is based on the macroscopic and computed tomography (CT) analysis of nutrient foramina. The nutrient foramen of long bone diaphyses transmits the nutrient artery which provides much of the oxygen and nutrients to the bone. The nutrient foramen and its canal were analysed in six femora and humeri of human, sheep (Ovies aries) and pig (Sus scrofa) species. The location, position and direction of the nutrient foramina were measured macroscopically. The length of the canal, angle of the canal, circumference and area of the entrance of the foramen were measured from CT images. Macroscopic analysis revealed the femora nutrient foramina are more proximal, whereas humeri foramina are more distal. The human bones and sheep humerus conform to the perceived directionality, but the pig bones and sheep femur do not. Amongst the parameters measured in the CT analysis, the angle of the canal had a discriminatory power. This study shows the potential of this technique to be used independently or complementary to other methods in distinguishing between human and non-human bone in forensic anthropology.

Keywords: Forensic anthropology; Human remains; Nutrient foramen; Species identification.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Surface extraction of HH2 nutrient foramen and canal. The upper surface is the exterior of the bone, whilst the lower surface is the interior
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Angle measurement tool for PF4
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
View of nutrient foramen as it enters the bone. This is from a pig femur (PF1) and was classified as elliptical in shape
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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