Forensic Anthropology Population Data Assessing the use of the anatomical method for the estimation of sub-adult stature in Black South Africans Desiré Brits a, *, Paul R. Manger b , Mubarak A. Bidmos c,b a Human Variation and Identification Research Unit, School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa b School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa c College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar A R T I C L E I N F O Article history: Received 12 July 2017 Received in revised form 10 November 2017 Accepted 13 November 2017 Available online xxx Keywords: Forensic anthropology population data Stature estimation Anatomical method Black South African Sub-adult Magnetic Resonance Imaging A B S T R A C T Stature estimation is rarely attempted in sub-adults due to the general lack of available standards as a result of the dearth of sufficiently large sub-adult skeletal collections with known demographic information. To overcome this problem sub-adult research mainly relies on modern imaging modalities. In the current study Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans were used to assess the use of the anatomical method for stature estimation in sub-adults. A total of 53 Black South African sub-adult males (n = 24) and females (n = 29) aged between 10 and 17 years participated in the study by voluntarily completing a full-body MRI scan. A stadiometer was used to measure living stature prior to all MRI scans. Skeletal elements that contribute directly to stature were measured from the MRI scans using OsiriX and summed to compute the total skeletal height. Total skeletal height was calculated using the diaphyseal, maximum and physiological long bone lengths and correlated to living stature using Pearson’s correlations. Subsequently least squares regression equations were generated for the estimation of sub-adult stature. Results indicated strong, statistically significant positive correlations between living stature and total skeletal heights in sub-adult males, females and a combined sex sample. The regression equations were characterized by small standard error of estimates which are comparable to that reported for Black South African adults. Based on these results the anatomical method can be used to accurately describe living stature in Black South African sub-adults. This method is therefore encouraged as it will add valuable information when dealing with unknown sub-adult skeletal remains. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Two methods are available for the estimation of stature from skeletal remains: the mathematical method, which includes stature:bone ratios and regression analyses, and the anatomical method [1,2]. The mathematical method is considered to be the most commonly used method as it allows for the estimation of stature from a single bone or a combination of bones [3]. The stature estimation equations generated using the mathematical method are, however, sex and population specific and should not be applied to populations other than the population from which it was derived [2,4,5]. The anatomical method, also known as Fully’s method [6], is described as the most accurate stature estimation method, benefitting from the inclusion of all the skeletal elements that contribute directly to stature [1,7,8]. Measurements collected from these bones are summed to generate the total skeletal height to which a soft tissue correction factor is added to produce an estimate of living stature [6]. The soft tissue correction factor was initially believed to be independent of sex and population affinity [1,8], however, a number of recent publications have questioned this [9–12]. The mathematical and anatomical methods are well defined for stature estimation relating to adult skeletal remains; however, stature estimation from sub-adult skeletal remains is rarely attempted [13,14]. This is due to a general lack of available literature and standards, related to the shortage of sufficiently large sub-adult skeletal collections with known demographics, available for research [14,15]. Research on sub-adult stature estimation is further encumbered by individual and population differences in growth and development as well as the allometric * Corresponding author at: Human Variation and Identification Research Unit, School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Park Town, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. E-mail addresses: desire.brits@wits.ac.za (D. Brits), paul.manger@wits.ac.za (P.R. Manger), mbidmos@qu.edu.qa (M.A. Bidmos). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.11.024 0379-0738/© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Forensic Science International xxx (2017) xxx–xxx G Model FSI 9068 No. of Pages 9 Please cite this article in press as: D. Brits, et al., Assessing the use of the anatomical method for the estimation of sub-adult stature in Black South Africans, Forensic Sci. Int. (2017), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.11.024 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Forensic Science International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locat e/f orsciint