An Approach to the Diagnosis of Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia from the 2500‐Year‐Old Remains of a Skull from Ancient China

A human skull, buried about 2500 years ago in a Bronze Age cemetery at Jinggouzi, a site of an important ethnic group in ancient China, appeared to have characteristics of fibrous dysplasia. The CT images indicated a reduction in bone density and relatively homogeneous lesions. More features were revealed using CT reconstruction techniques. Lesions seen in low‐magnification images using a 3D deep‐field microscope had an irregular honeycomb‐like structure. At higher magnification, the trabeculae morphology and the gaps between the trabeculae were irregular and varied in size and shape. Paraffin‐embedded specimens stained with HE showed trabeculae with tortuous irregular arrangements varying in shape and width. The irregular trabeculae of woven bone has been described as having fibrous dysplasia. Molecular analysis of the GNAS gene indicated no mutation. This provides a non‐invasive approach for us to make more comprehensive diagnoses and to assist research into ancient human diseases.     

Use of Computed Tomography and Three‐Dimensional Virtual Reconstruction for the Examination of a 16th Century Mummified Dog from a North German Peat Bog

The corpse of a well‐preserved dog was recovered from a peat bog in the region of Burlage, Germany, in 1953. The dog, which dates to the 16th century, retained extensive soft tissue and fur on the postcranial body, although the head is skeletonised. Computed tomography was used to determine the extent of the preservation of the soft tissue, to determine sex and age and to attempt to identify trauma, pathology and potential cause of death. The analysis of the CT data indicated that the dog was an immature or adolescent male. Substantial soft tissue was preserved, including some internal organs. The entire skeleton was present, with the exception of the mandible and parts of the paws; all of the bones were flattened and some were distorted because of demineralisation in the peat. Partial disarticulation of the vertebral column was postmortem, although there was no further evidence of trauma or pathology on the skeleton or soft tissue. The cause of death could not be conclusively determined. To the knowledge of the authors, this dog represents the only known example of a complete historical nonhuman bog body with preserved soft tissue. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Imaging skeletal remains with ground-penetrating radar: comparative results over two graves from Viking Age and Medieval churchyards on the Stóra-Seyla farm,northern Iceland

Detailed ground-penetrating radar surveys were conducted at separate Viking Age and Medieval churchyards on the Stóra-Seyla farm in Skagafjörður, northern Iceland. Surveying over a previously unknown site (ca. AD 1000) that is located just a few meters above the Skagafjörður valley bottom delineated the remnants of a buried circular turf wall that encloses a church structure and several graves. The radar profiles over the graves contain strong hyperbolic reflections that emanated from the skeletal remains. Over one of the graves, an air-filled void within the chest cavity had been detected as noted by reflections with normal polarity which indicated a boundary towards increasing microwave velocity. During excavation, the soil surrounding an intact rib cage collapsed thus confirming the presence of the void. In general, the skeletal remains were very well preserved and yielded strong reflections which permitted the orientation of the body to be determined. Conversely, the radar profiles over a grave from a more recent churchyard (ca. AD 1200) show ground disturbance but lack hyperbolic reflections. Upon excavation, only teeth were recovered. The poor preservation of the skeletal remains is attributed to increase contact with infiltrating groundwater from an overlying gravel layer. Interpretations were aided by time-slice overlay imaging, forward modeling and analysis of the reflection coefficient.