Reading:: A New Avenue for Sex Estimation

Identification of Sex Depending on Radiological Examination of Foot and Patella.

By Wafaa M. et al.

One of the forensic anthropologist’s primary goals is to create an accurate biological profile, which includes information about a deceased individual such as age, sex, stature and race. Determining the sex can be difficult as most bones that are used in sex identification are fragmented or absent. This has forced forensic anthropologists to search for new ways to determine sex, using bones that are less easily damaged or lost. The authors of this article have done just that: they have discovered a way to use radiographs of the patella and foot bones to accurately estimate sex in Egyptian populations.

Methods

 Radiographic films of the patella and foot from 160 living individuals (80 male, 80 female) aged 25—65 years were studied. The length and midshaft diameter of each metatarsal bone was measured. The minimum and maximum height and width of the patella was taken and analyzed. A formula was developed by Fisher as a way to determine all possible measurement combinations for each sex.  In addition to the original 160 people included in the study, 80 were randomly selected to further confirm or refute their hypothesis.

Results

The lengths of the first, third, and fifth metatarsals showed the highest percentage of correct classification with each reporting at 100% accuracy. The second and fourth metatarsal length accuracy was 99.4% and 96.9%. The midshaft diameter of the second and third metatarsals were 100% accurate. The patellar height and width had correct classification percentage of 72.5% and 73.8%. The metatarsal bone measurements have proven to be the most reliable for sex estimation.

Discussion

The authors discuss the results of other studies of patellar height and width on differing populations. The results of El Najjar and McWilliam and of O’Connor are similar to the data obtained from the study in focus. Using radiography as away to obtain data is beneficial because it is cost effective, simple, and less time consuming than other methods. However, it may produce less accurate measurements due to differing angles at which the radiographic films are produced.

Conclusion

This study has proven the accuracy of using the patella and metatarsal bones for sex estimation in forensic cases in Egypt. Both types of bones are very often found intact in skeletonized human remains and are easy to measure. Wafaa et al., hopes to have established standards useable by other forensic anthropologists for sex estimation. However, Fisher’s formula should not be used on dry bones as it was developed to be used on conjunction with radiographic data. So, additional patella and metatarsal studies on dry bone is encouraged.

Reference:

Wafaa M. Abdel Moneim, MD, Randa H. Abdel Hady, MD, Ragaa M. Abdel

           Maaboud, MD, Hala M. Fathy, MD,* and Ahmed Mostafa Hamed, 

           MD (2008). Identification of Sex Depending on Radiological 

           Examination of Foot and Patella. American Journal of Forensic 

           Medicine and Pathology 29(2): 136 –140. Retrieved from: http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.4.1b/ovidweb.cgi&S=FNMMFPBAPMDDDBCGNCCLIFGCMCIJAA00&Link+Set=jb.search.27%7c1%7csl_10