Determination of Gender Based on Mastoid Measurements in South Indian Population

Abstract

Background and Aim: In forensic medicine, accurate gender determination from skeletal remains is crucial. In addition to the pelvic bone, the mastoid process is commonly utilized for this purpose. This study investigates various mastoid measurements for precise gender determination in the South Indian population and the development of a discriminant function equation (DFE) based on these measurements. Materials and Methods: Conducted in the Department of Anatomy between March and May 2021, this cross-sectional study involved 85 human skulls. Mastoid measurements, including mastoid length (ML), mastoid breadth (MB), anterior–posterior diameter (APD), and overall mastoid size, were recorded. Qualitative data were presented as frequency and percentage, whereas quantitative data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation Student’s t-test was used to compare means between genders, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Results: The findings revealed that males consistently displayed significantly greater mean values for ML, APD, and size compared to females on both sides of the skull (P < 0.05). In addition, on the right side of the skull, males exhibited a significantly larger mean MB (1.39 ± 0.25 cm) than females (1.28 ± 0.22 cm) (P < 0.05). The derived DFE accurately identified 78.7% of males and 85.7% of females. Conclusion: The mastoid process exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males consistently having larger mastoid measurements than females. This underscores its utility as a valuable tool for gender determination in forensic contexts.

Keywords

• anthropology
• discriminant function equation
• forensic
• gender
• mastoid