In forensic medicine, what is important about the sternum measurement?

In forensic medicine, the measurement of the sternum is particularly significant because it helps estimate age. This is primarily due to the fact that certain skeletal structures undergo specific developmental changes throughout a person's life, especially during the growth and maturation phases.

The sternum, or breastbone, is made up of several parts that fuse together at different ages, and the pattern of these fusions can provide insights into the individual's age at the time of death. For instance, the manubrium, sternal body, and xiphoid process can show different stages of development and fusion that correlate with defined age ranges. Therefore, when a forensic expert examines these characteristics, they can arrive at a more precise approximation of the deceased's age.

While the sternum can provide some information related to other factors, such as height or gender, these are not as directly correlated with the skeletal changes observed in the sternum as age estimation is. Muscle mass is generally not directly reflected through skeletal measurements, and height estimations often rely on more comprehensive measurements from other long bones in the body rather than the sternum itself. Hence, the ability to estimate age from sternum measurements is a crucial aspect in forensic investigations.