Forensic Facial ReconstructionNCT06496334
Forensic Facial Reconstruction (FFR) From CT Scans
An observational study of Forensic Facial Reconstruction, run by Queen Mary University of London at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
1. Reconstructing faces derived from CT scanned skulls using the average facial templates and employing computer facial reconstruction software programme. 2. Evaluating the accuracy of facial reconstructions by objective comparison between the reconstructed face and the CT scanned face. 3. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Forensic Facial Reconstruction
- How many people
- 2 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 28 May 2014to 30 Apr 2015
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: 1. This study will involve conducting facial reconstruction of 3-D human skull images acquired from head CT scanning of living patients in a private Diagnostic radiology center in Egypt. 2. The resulting facial reconstructions will then be assessed by 2 groups of volunteer participants; experts and non-experts in the field of facial identification respectively.
Who may be able to join
- Caucasian ethnicity. Caucasian ethnicity is the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia, Central Asia and South Asia.
- Above 16 years of age.
- Able to understand and willing to sign the written Informed Consent Form.
- Able and willing to follow the protocol requirements.
- Undergoing CT scanning of the head for medical or clinical purposes.
- A full CT head series is undertaken.
Who cannot join
- Ethnic background other than Caucasian.
- Less than 16 years old.
- Unable to understand or refusing to sign the written Informed Consent.
- Unable or refusing to follow the protocol requirements.
- Unclear or incomplete head CT scan images.
- Disfiguring bone or soft tissue deformity or scans with implantable devices (i.e. eye, head and neck, or cardiac).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
Barts School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London
London, EC1M 6BQ
About this study
Official title: 3-D Computed Forensic Facial Reconstruction of Computed Tomography (CT) Scanned Skulls Using Human Facial Templates
- Reconstructing faces derived from CT scanned skulls using the average facial templates and employing computer facial reconstruction software programme.
- Evaluating the accuracy of facial reconstructions by objective comparison between the reconstructed face and the CT scanned face.
- Evaluating the accuracy of facial reconstructions by subjective assessment via 2 groups of individuals, experienced and inexperienced in facial images perception.
Read the detailed description
- Patients Recruitment Patients meeting the inclusion criteria are identified and recruited by the attending clinical staff at a private Diagnostic Radiology Center in Egypt after completing the relevant ethical and regulatory procedures.The study will include a minimum of 20 case studies.
- Acquisition of CT Scanned Head Images CT images are acquired by a computed tomography scanner.
- Segmentation (i.e extraction) of a 3D images of the skull from CT Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files: via 3D slicer software and Simpleware (CT segmenting software) trial software.
- Selection of Average Face Templates For each studied case, the facial reconstruction will be conducted using an average Caucasian face template that matches the studied skull, in terms of sex and age group selected.
- Facial Reconstruction is performed using the patient segmented skull image and its matching average face template, and employing the present computer software program.
- Segmentation (i.e extraction) of a 3D images of the face surface from CT DICOM files.
- Objective Assessment of Facial Reconstructions for each case via objective surface superimposition between the extracted 3D facial image and the 3D reconstructed face using Robin's surface viewer software. The sum of square differences (SSD) between the superimposed images will be calculated as an indication of the goodness of fit of the reconstructed face with the CT scanned face. The measured differences will then be correlated with the sum of scores given to each reconstructed face by subjective assessment.
- Subjective Assessment by Volunteers Assessors Volunteer assessors will be approached in an attempt to evaluate the accuracy of the resulting reconstructed images. Two groups of assessors will be recruited; the first assessors will be experts with professional experience in face image identification (n=5), and the second group will comprise of participants inexperienced in forensic facial identification. The latter will be recruited from staff and students of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) (n=20-30). All participants will be asked to sign a written confidentiality agreement.
- Face Pool Test Construction The aim of face pool test in the present study is to assess the ability of observers to identify a target subject from a face pool of similar subjects. The face pool will be formed of computer generated faces, in 5 views (frontal, right lateral and left lateral, right ¾ and left ¾), included the extracted CT face of the target and these faces will be compared to the target facial reconstruction. Each observer will be asked to select one image from the test faces that best matches the target reconstructed face.
- Resemblance Test Construction This test aims to compare and assess the similarity between the facial reconstruction and the CT face of a target subject using rating/ranking scale. Each observer will be asked to rate the target reconstructed face from 0 to 10 according to its resemblance to the target CT face , where 0 = no resemblance and 10 = highest resemblance. Facial reconstructions of all cases will be ranked by the total resemblance scores given by all observers to each reconstruction.
- Statistical analysis of the results via spearman's Rank coefficient to assess and compare:
- Facial reconstructions ranks given by the 2 groups of observers to assess the influence of previous experience in face identification on the ability of the observer to assess the accuracy of forensic facial reconstructions.
- Facial reconstructions ranks given by subjective and objective assessment methods, thus compare the validity of both methods in assessing the accuracy of forensic facial reconstructions.
- Conditions
- Forensic Facial Reconstruction
- Keywords
- Forensic facial reconstruction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Head CT scan | Adult Caucasian patients undergoing head CT scanning. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The percentage of correct identifications and resemblance scores of the target reconstructed faces by human assessors.
Measured: 3 years
Secondary outcomes (1)
The influence of previous experience in the field of facial image recognition and perception on the identification of the reconstructed faces.
Measured: 3 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Jul 2024
- Study start28 May 2014
- Primary completion30 Apr 2015
- Study completion30 Apr 2015
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Forensic Facial ReconstructionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Queen Mary University of LondonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 2 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Queen Mary University of London
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (Egypt)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Dalia AS Abdou, MSc, Principal investigator, PhD student, Queen Mary University of LondonPeter Vanezis, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Professor of Forensic Medical Sciences, Queen Mary University of LondonAtholl Johnston, PhD, Principal investigator, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Queen Mary University of London
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06496334
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Forensic Facial Reconstruction
- Other IDs
- Computed FFR using CT
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 11 Jul 2014
- Last updated
- 11 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- 3-D Computed Forensic Facial Reconstruction of Computed Tomography (CT) Scanned Skulls Using Human Facial Templates
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06496334
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Forensic Facial Reconstruction
- Conditions
- Forensic Facial Reconstruction
- Keywords
- Forensic facial reconstruction
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 2 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Queen Mary University of LondonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (Egypt)
- Study start
- 28 May 2014 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Apr 2015 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
- Reconstructing faces derived from CT scanned skulls using the average facial templates and employing computer facial reconstruction software programme.
- Evaluating the accuracy of facial reconstructions by objective comparison between the reconstructed face and the CT scanned face.
- Evaluating the accuracy of facial reconstructions by subjective assessment via 2 groups of individuals, experienced and inexperienced in facial images perception.
Detailed description
- Patients Recruitment Patients meeting the inclusion criteria are identified and recruited by the attending clinical staff at a private Diagnostic Radiology Center in Egypt after completing the relevant ethical and regulatory procedures.The study will include a minimum of 20 case studies.
- Acquisition of CT Scanned Head Images CT images are acquired by a computed tomography scanner.
- Segmentation (i.e extraction) of a 3D images of the skull from CT Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files: via 3D slicer software and Simpleware (CT segmenting software) trial software.
- Selection of Average Face Templates For each studied case, the facial reconstruction will be conducted using an average Caucasian face template that matches the studied skull, in terms of sex and age group selected.
- Facial Reconstruction is performed using the patient segmented skull image and its matching average face template, and employing the present computer software program.
- Segmentation (i.e extraction) of a 3D images of the face surface from CT DICOM files.
- Objective Assessment of Facial Reconstructions for each case via objective surface superimposition between the extracted 3D facial image and the 3D reconstructed face using Robin's surface viewer software. The sum of square differences (SSD) between the superimposed images will be calculated as an indication of the goodness of fit of the reconstructed face with the CT scanned face. The measured differences will then be correlated with the sum of scores given to each reconstructed face by subjective assessment.
- Subjective Assessment by Volunteers Assessors Volunteer assessors will be approached in an attempt to evaluate the accuracy of the resulting reconstructed images. Two groups of assessors will be recruited; the first assessors will be experts with professional experience in face image identification (n=5), and the second group will comprise of participants inexperienced in forensic facial identification. The latter will be recruited from staff and students of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) (n=20-30). All participants will be asked to sign a written confidentiality agreement.
- Face Pool Test Construction The aim of face pool test in the present study is to assess the ability of observers to identify a target subject from a face pool of similar subjects. The face pool will be formed of computer generated faces, in 5 views (frontal, right lateral and left lateral, right ¾ and left ¾), included the extracted CT face of the target and these faces will be compared to the target facial reconstruction. Each observer will be asked to select one image from the test faces that best matches the target reconstructed face.
- Resemblance Test Construction This test aims to compare and assess the similarity between the facial reconstruction and the CT face of a target subject using rating/ranking scale. Each observer will be asked to rate the target reconstructed face from 0 to 10 according to its resemblance to the target CT face , where 0 = no resemblance and 10 = highest resemblance. Facial reconstructions of all cases will be ranked by the total resemblance scores given by all observers to each reconstruction.
- Statistical analysis of the results via spearman's Rank coefficient to assess and compare:
- Facial reconstructions ranks given by the 2 groups of observers to assess the influence of previous experience in face identification on the ability of the observer to assess the accuracy of forensic facial reconstructions.
- Facial reconstructions ranks given by subjective and objective assessment methods, thus compare the validity of both methods in assessing the accuracy of forensic facial reconstructions.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Head CT scan | – | –Adult Caucasian patients undergoing head CT scanning. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- 1. This study will involve conducting facial reconstruction of 3-D human skull images acquired from head CT scanning of living patients in a private Diagnostic radiology center in Egypt. 2. The resulting facial reconstructions will then be assessed by 2 groups of volunteer participants; experts and non-experts in the field of facial identification respectively.
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Caucasian ethnicity. Caucasian ethnicity is the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia, Central Asia and South Asia.
- Above 16 years of age.
- Able to understand and willing to sign the written Informed Consent Form.
- Able and willing to follow the protocol requirements.
- Undergoing CT scanning of the head for medical or clinical purposes.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Ethnic background other than Caucasian.
- Less than 16 years old.
- Unable to understand or refusing to sign the written Informed Consent.
- Unable or refusing to follow the protocol requirements.
- Unclear or incomplete head CT scan images.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
The percentage of correct identifications and resemblance scores of the target reconstructed faces by human assessors.
Time frame: 3 years
1 secondary outcome
The influence of previous experience in the field of facial image recognition and perception on the identification of the reconstructed faces.
Time frame: 3 years
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Mar 2025.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Dalia AS Abdou, MSc principal investigator
PhD student, Queen Mary University of London
Peter Vanezis, MD, PhD principal investigator
Professor of Forensic Medical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London
Atholl Johnston, PhD principal investigator
Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Queen Mary University of London
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Forensic Facial Reconstruction, run by Queen Mary University of London at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
The percentage of correct identifications and resemblance scores of the target reconstructed faces by human assessors. (time frame: 3 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Mar 2025.