HUMAN SEX IDENTIFICATION FROM FRONTAL AND MAXILLARY AIR SINUSES USING CT SCAN.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Forensic medicine and clinical toxicology, faculty of medicine, sohag university, sohag

2 Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

3 forensic medicine and clinical toxicology department,sohag univeristy,sohag,egypt

Abstract

Background:Gender determination is one of the important parameters in forensic identification. Study of anthropometric characters is of fundamental importance to solve problems related to such cases. Paranasal sinuses and particularly the frontal sinuses have been utilized for this purpose. The unique nature and irregular shape of the paranasal air sinuses make them suitable for this purpose. In cases of mass disaster and criminal cases, paranasal sinuses remain intact even if the skull and other bones are badly blemished.Objectives: The present study was designed to determine sex by the use of frontal and maxillary air sinuses dimensions from CT scans of paranasal sinuses. Methods: The present work included 100 adult patients (50 males and 50 females). The measurements of the length and width of the maxillary and frontal air sinuses were done using CT scan on DICOM images using Electronic Caliper inbuilt in the DICOM viewer software. Results: Right frontal air sinus width was the most specific (specificity 86 %) and right frontal air sinus length was the most sensitive (sensitivity 94%) measure to discriminate between both genders. ROC analysis indicated that the highest sensitivity rate was obtained for left maxillary air sinus length (sensitivity 100%) and the highest specificity rate was obtained for right maxillary air sinus length (specificity 100%). The right frontal air sinus length was the best discriminate variable between genders with overall accuracy of 80% in females and 92% in males. The maxillary air sinus length was the best predictor of gender in males and females with accuracy (100% in females and 98% in males).Conclusion:The mean values of frontal and maxillary air sinuses widths and lengths for both right and left sides were statistically higher in males in comparison to females. The mean values of right side frontal and maxillary air sinuses lengths and widths were higher than those of the left side in males and females. The left maxillary air sinus length is the most specific and sensitive parameter to predict gender

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