Sex discrimination and estimation of body height from the zygomatic bone

作者：Walter A; Ramsthaler F; Gehl A; Birngruber C G; Kraehahn J; Baechle N; Obert M; Verhoff M A^*

来源：Rechtsmedizin, 2014, 24(3): 159-164.

DOI：10.1007/s00194-014-0949-2

• Forensic anthropology
• Osteology
• Sex determination
• Cut-off value
• Body length

When only isolated bones or bone fragments are retrieved in a forensic case of an unknown corpse, classical morphological features are frequently difficult or impossible to evaluate from the fragmented samples and alternative, in particular, osteometric parameters must be evaluated to determine the sex and body length. %26lt;br%26gt;The aim of this study was to investigate if osteometric parameters of the zygomatic bone obtained from postmortem computed tomography (CT) datasets could be used to determine the sex and body length of individuals. %26lt;br%26gt;In this study CT data sets from the skulls of 112 female and 104 male corpses were investigated. The data sets (slice thickness 0.63 mm) were compiled at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Hamburg, Germany. Both the age and sex of the corpses were known and the body length (length) was manually measured prior to the CT examination. The CT data were then imported into OsiriX software, and using the 3D modus (volume rendering), the maximum value for length, length and thickness was measured for both zygomatic bones for each skull. %26lt;br%26gt;Although a highly significant correlation was found between the length and length of the zygomatic bone from both sides of the skull and the individual body length, the correlation coefficients obtained showed values of only approximately 0.45. A useful regression formula could not be derived due to the large standard error of the estimates. In principle, all six of the measured distances were suited to differentiate between the sexes. For both sides of the skull, the length of the zygomatic bone showed the greatest sex discriminatory significance. In a classification model that used all three parameters from the left side, sex was correctly determined in 76.6 % of the cases and in 75.6 % of the cases from the right side. When only the length of the left zygomatic bone was used (cut-off value 48.53 mm), sex was correctly determined for 73.2 % of female and for 71.2 % of male individuals and for the right side (cut-off value 48.56 mm) the corresponding values were 79.5 % for female and 70.2 % for male individuals. %26lt;br%26gt;The length of the zygomatic bone, which was defined for the first time in this study, is relatively easy to measure and can be a useful isolated parameter for sex determination with a simple cut-off level of 48.5 mm.

• 出版日期2014-6