Sex discrimination of mastoid process by anthropometric measurements using multidetector computed tomography in Egyptian adult population

Abstract

Introduction: Sex identification of different skeletal remains has been defiance for many forensic studies. Mastoid process of the skull has drawn great attention from many researchers. Sex differences of the mastoid process are investigated using traditional morphological and metric methods. Aim: The aim of the present study was to use multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) to estimate sex from measuring the mastoid process of adult individuals. Subjects and methods: Eighty adult subjects (40 males and 40 females) of the Egyptian population were included in the present study with a mean age of 32.8 + 12.98 and 28.9 + 10.1, respectively. Nine mastoid measurements were obtained on the mastoid and were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 16. Accuracy of MDCT and cut-off points to estimate sex from mastoid process were then obtained. Results: All mastoid dimensions except mastoid angles were larger in males than in females. Conventional mastoid height (cMH), oblique sagittal diameter (OSD) and mastoid volume with its three components, showed high accuracy (85–75%) in discriminating sex. As regards cMH and mastoid volume, the cutoff point was (30.15) with overall accuracy (85%) in cMH, whereas, in mastoid volume the cutoff point was (7.77) with overall accuracy of (75%). Conclusion: It was concluded that the conventional mastoid height (cMH), and oblique sagittal diameter (OSD) and mastoid volume were more accurate for sex discrimination in the Egyptian population.

Keywords

• Forensic anthropology
• Mastoid process
• Sex discrimination
• Multidetector computed tomography
• Egyptian population