Determination of Sex of an Individual by Frontal Sinus Using Multidetector Computed Tomography Scan: A Retrospective Forensic Study

Abstract

Objectives An important aspect of forensic investigation is determining the sex of an unidentified person. The frontal sinus is unique and remains intact, thus making it suitable for forensic analysis. The main objective of this study is to determine the sex of an individual by frontal sinus using a multidetector computed tomography scan. Materials and Methods A total of 100 patients (50 males and 50 females) were included in the study, and different parameters of the frontal sinus for both sides were analyzed, that is height, width, depth, and total length. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics of all the variables were computed and compared. SPSS version 16 was used to perform the Mann–Whitney U test, binary logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis on the acquired data. Results The result suggested that males have higher mean values than females, with the left frontal sinus height being the only variable to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Based on the ROC curve analysis, the optimum cutoff value was 0.489, which means if the predicted probability value was less than 0.489, the individual was considered a male; and if the predicted probability value was ≥0.489, the individual was considered a female. The accuracy of the mathematical model based on binary logistic regression analysis for determining sex was 70% for females and 66% for males. Conclusions The present study plays a significant role in determining sex in the Indian population by using left frontal sinus height measurement through a multidetector computed tomography scan.