A novel method for pair-matching using three-dimensional digital models of bone: mesh-to-mesh value comparison

作者：Karell Mara A; Langstaff Helen K; Halazonetis Demetrios J; Minghetti Caterina; Frelat Melanie; Kranioti Elena F

来源：International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2016, 130(5): 1315-1322.

DOI：10.1007/s00414-016-1334-3

• Forensic anthropology
• Pair-matching
• Commingled remains
• 3D geometry
• 3D modeling
• Mesh-to-mesh value comparison

The commingling of human remains often hinders forensic/physical anthropologists during the identification process, as there are limited methods to accurately sort these remains. This study investigates a new method for pair-matching, a common individualization technique, which uses digital three-dimensional models of bone: mesh-to-mesh value comparison (MVC). The MVC method digitally compares the entire three-dimensional geometry of two bones at once to produce a single value to indicate their similarity. Two different versions of this method, one manual and the other automated, were created and then tested for how well they accurately pair-matched humeri. Each version was assessed using sensitivity and specificity. The manual mesh-to-mesh value comparison method was 100 % sensitive and 100 % specific. The automated mesh-to-mesh value comparison method was 95 % sensitive and 60 % specific. Our results indicate that the mesh-to-mesh value comparison method overall is a powerful new tool for accurately pair-matching commingled skeletal elements, although the automated version still needs improvement.

• 出版日期2016-9