Adult Sex Identification Using Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography (3D-CT) of the Pelvis: A Study Among a Sample of the Egyptian Population

Abstract

Sex identification of unknown human skeletal remains is of great importance in establishing identity and individuality. In adults, the hip bone is the most reliable sex indicator because of its sexual dimorphism. Each population should have its own specific standards of identification. The objective of this study is to develop a logistic regression formula for adult sex identification using threedimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of the pelvis and to perform an assessment of its validity in sex determination among a sample of the Egyptian population in the Suez Canal region. 141 pelvic-abdominal CT images (free of any pelvic orthopaedic disorder) were included; they were reconstructed to produce 3D-CT pelvic images which were divided into a calibration group (47 male and 47 female) and a test group (47 CT images the sex of which was unknown to the observers). Twenty radiometric variables were measured for the calibration group. A logit response formula for sex prediction was developed and applied on the test group for sex prediction. The logit response formula for the test sample showed sensitivity, specificity, and an overall accuracy of 100%. The proposed method represents a quick and reliable metric method in establishing sex from a CT image of the pelvis bone.

Keywords

• forensic anthropology
• sex identification
• 3d-ct pelvic images
• metric method
• phenice trait