Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research

Abstract

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively.

Keywords

• forensic anthropology; tomography, x-ray computed; review; skeleton