Sex determination from the radiographic measurements of calcaneus*

Year 2016, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 200 - 204, 30.12.2016

Muhammet Bora Uzuner Ferhat Geneci Mert Ocak Pınar Bayram İbrahim Tanzer Sancak Anıl Dolgun Mustafa Fevzi Sargon

Abstract

Objectives: The main reason why the calcaneus is chosen for the sex determination is due to its solid structure and resistance to postmortem changes. The comparison of calcanei in radiographies ensures the determination of the sex of corpses whose sex is unknown. A number of skeletons that have been studied as part of the sex determination studies, as well as the variability extents of the male and female samples in the physical and forensic anthropologies which deal with the analysis of the past and present biodiversity, provide information for the observation of data like age, height and sex that are essential for identification.

Methods: In this study, we used the radiographies of patients in the Radiology Department of TOBB University of Economics and Technology Hospital. A total of 143 individuals (including 66 male and 77 female patients) whose calcanei were anatomically normal were involved in the study. The participating individuals were divided into three groups: Group 1 consisted of individuals born in and before 1970, Group 2 consisted of individuals born between 1971 and 1985, and Group 3 consisted of individuals born in and after 1986. Sex distribution was similar in each of the three age groups. Metric and non-metric methods were used in the process of identification held with the aim of sex distinction. Metric measurements were made for eight parameters of the calcaneus, e.g. maximum width, body width, maximum length, minimum length, height of the facies articularis cuboidea, tuber angle, front angle and the tuber plantar angle.

Results: The maximum, minimum and average values of the conducted measurements were obtained. In each of the age groups, differences were observed between the metric lengths of the female and male parameters. Groups 1 and 2 showed similarities in the angular (alpha, beta, sigma) lengths and Group 3 showed similar values in alpha and sigma angles. A statistically significant difference was observed in the beta angle of Group 3. When all of the measurements of the three groups were compared, the maximum height, the minimum height and alpha angle showed similarities, whereas in other parameters a statistically significant difference was observed.

Conclusion: This study reveals the importance of calcaneus in the sex determination and suggests that it can be used as an alternative method in the forensic anthropology and forensic sciences.

Keywords

anatomy, calcaneus, forensic anthropology, radiography, sex determination

References

• 1. Cox M, Mays S. Human osteology in archaeology and forensic science. London (UK): Greenwich Medical Media; 2000. p. 548.
• 2. France DL. Observational and metric analysis of sex in the skeleton. In: Reichs KJ, editor. Forensic osteology: advances in the identification of human remains. 2nd ed. Springfield (IL): Charles C. Thomas; 1998. p. 163–186.
• 3. Zeyfeo¤lu Y. Hanc› H. ‹nsanlarda kimlik tespiti. Sürekli T›p E¤itimi Dergisi 2001;10:375–7.
• 4. Washburn SL. Sex differences in the pubic bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 1948;6:199–207.
• 5. Şahiner Y, Yalçın H. Erkek ve bayanlarda kafatası kemiğinden geometrik morfometri metoduyla cinsiyet tayini ve ramus flexure. Atatürk Üniversitesi Veteriner Bilimleri Dergisi 2007;2:132–40.
• 6. Riepert T, Drechsler T, Schild H. Nafe B. Mattern R. Estimation of sex on the basis of radiographs of the calcaneus. Forensic Sci Int 1996;77:133–40.
• 7. Gualdi-Russo E. Sex determination from the talus and calcaneus measurements. Forensic Sci Int 2007;171:151–6.
• 8. Bidmos MA, Asala SA. Discriminant function sexing of the calcaneus of the South African whites. J Forensic Sci 2003;48:1213–8.
• 9. Introna F Jr, Di Vella G, Campobasso CP, Dragone M. Sex determination by discriminant analysis of calcanei measurements. J Forensic Sci 1997;42:725–8.
• 10. Demir A, Çivi S. Assessment of 10-year major osteoporotic and femur fracture risk of postmenopausal women using FRAX®. The Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2014;60:11–8.
• 11. Saka G, Ceylan A, Ertem M, Palanci Y, Toksöz P. Diyarbakır il merkezinde lise ve üzeri öğrenim görmüş 40 yaş üzeri kadınların menopoz dönemine ait bazı özellikleri ve kalsiyum kaynağı yiyecekleri tüketim sıklıkları. Dicle Tıp Dergisi 2005;32:77–83.
• 12. Bidmos MA, Asala SA. Sexual dimorphism of the calcaneus of South African blacks. J Forensic Sci 2004;49:446–50.
• 13. Zhang ZH, Chen XG, Li WK, Yang SQ, Deng ZH, Yu JQ, Yang ZG, Huang L. Sex determination by discriminant analysis of calcaneal measurements on the lateral digital radiography. Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi 2008;24:122–5.
• 14. Kim DI, Kim YS, Lee UY, Han SH. Sex determination from calcaneus in Korean using discriminant analysis. Forensic Sci Int 2013;228:177.e1–7.
• 15. Bidmos M. Adult stature reconstruction from the calcaneus of South Africans of European descent. J Clin Forensic Med 2006;13:247–52.
• 16. Bidmos MA, Dayal MR. Sex determination from the talus of South african whites by discriminant function analysis. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2003;24:322–8.
• 17. Steele DG. The estimation of sex on the basis of the talus and calcaneus. Am J Phys Anthropol 1976;45:581–8.