Standardizing ordinal subadult age indicators: Testing for observer agreement and consistency across modalities

Skeletal and dental data for subadult analyses obtained from dry bones or various types of medical images, such as computed tomography (CT) scans conventional radiographs/x-rays, should be consistent repeatable to ensure method applicability across modalities support combining study samples. The present evaluates observer agreement epiphyseal fusion development stages on CT a U.S. sample the consistency between projected scan radiographs/scout images (U.S. sample), x-rays (Colombian osteological sample). Results show that both intra- interobserver agreements scores were high (intra: mean Cohen’s kappa = 0.757–0.939, inter: 0.773–0.836). Agreements lower 0.757, 0.773–0.0.820) compared 0.939, 0.807–0.836). Consistency was higher than scout (mean 0.708–0.824 0.726–0.738, respectively). Differences rarely surpassed one-stage value observers modalities. complexity some ossification patterns superimposition had greater negative impact rates experience. suggest ordinal skeletal can collected combined