Sex Estimation from Human Cranium: Forensic and Anthropological Interest of Maxillary Sinus Volumes

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 805 - 808
• Main Authors: Radulesco, Thomas, Michel, Justin, Mancini, Julien, Dessi, Patrick, Adalian, Pascal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-05-2018; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allocations; Biological anthropology; Computed tomography; Correlation coefficients; Cranium; Discriminant Analysis; Female; Forensic Anthropology; Forensic engineering; forensic science; human cranium; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Male; maxillary sinus; Maxillary Sinus - anatomy & histology; Maxillary Sinus - diagnostic imaging; Middle Aged; Reproducibility; Reproducibility of Results; Sex; Sex Determination by Skeleton - methods; sex estimation; Sexual dimorphism; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; volume; Young Adult; volume; forensic science; maxillary sinus; human cranium; sexual dimorphism; sex estimation
• ISSN: 0022-1198; 1556-4029
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13629

Sex estimation is a key objective of forensic science. We aimed to establish whether maxillary sinus volumes (MSV) could assist in estimating an individual's sex. One hundred and three CT scans were included. MSV were determined using three‐dimensional reconstructions. Two observers performed three‐dimensional MSV reconstructions using the same methods. Intra‐ and interobserver reproducibility were statistically compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (α = 5%). Both intra‐ and interobserver reproducibility were perfect regarding MSV; both ICCs were 100%. There were no significant differences between right and left MSV (p = 0.083). No correlation was found between age and MSV (p > 0.05). We demonstrated the existence of sexual dimorphism in MSV (p < 0.001) and showed that MSV measurements gave a 68% rate of correct allocations to sex group. MSV measurements could be useful to support sex estimation in forensic medicine.