Digital forensic osteology: Morphological sexing of skeletal remains using volume-rendered cranial CT scans

Ramsthaler, Frank; Kettner, Mattias; Gehl, Axel; Verhoff, Marcel A.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.12.010

Cited by 138 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Additionally, the glabella, mastoid process, and nuchal crest contributed the highest proportional odds to the logistical regression formulae. Moreover, the glabella, mastoid process and nuchal crest showed the highest classification accuracies for all the groups, which is similar to findings from other studies [5,8,23]. The high and moderately high, positive polyserial correlations between the craniometric (e.g., mastoid height and basion-nasion length) and ordinal variables (e.g., mastoid and glabella) suggest a strong relationship between size and shape of the cranium (Tables 6-7), which corroborates findings from a North American study assessing the accuracy, correlation and corroboration of metric and nonmetric sex estimation [12].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…When using multiple traits, the accuracy rates increased to 89% in modern samples; however, the degree and pattern of expression of the five traits were found to vary across populations and geography [5,6,7,8]. English populations were more gracile than the modern African-and European-Americans; European-Americans had more pronounced glabellar regions, and the African-Americans displayed more prominent mental eminences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Sexual dimorphism in cranial morphology among modern South Africans

et al. 2014

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Pattern-expressions of morphoscopic cranial traits vary across populations with classification accuracies being highly dependent on the reference collection to which unknown skulls are compared. Despite recent developments in population-specific standards for South Africans, researchers have not addressed the accuracy of morphological methods. Several studies demonstrate differences in sexual dimorphism between South Africans and North Americans, warranting a need to re-evaluate sex estimation methods in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and accuracy of the Walker (2008) method and to examine patterns of sexual dimorphism among South Africans.A total of 245 modern black and white South African male and female crania from the Pretoria Bone Collection, University of Pretoria, were scored using the Walker (2008) methodology. Cohen's Kappa was used to evaluate reliability of the method and percent correct assessed validity of the method. Logistic regression was utilised to create modified population-specific formulae.Inter-and intra-observer agreement was moderate to excellent (0.60-0.90), except for the mental eminence (0.40). The percent correct results for sex were 80% or higher for combinations of glabella, mastoid and menton and between 68% and 73% for menton, mastoid, orbital and nuchal margin using logistic equations 2 of Walker (2008). White males had the highest (94-97%) and white females had the lowest (31-62%) percent correct.The low accuracies obtained when using Walker (2008) emphasized the need for population-specific sex estimation models. Modified formulae for South Africans were created, yielding higher classification rates (84-93%) than when North American standards were employed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Sexual dimorphism in cranial morphology among modern South Africans

et al. 2014

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“…If a 3D reconstruction of CT images is available, the time consuming procedure of soft tissue removal is unnecessary to obtain metric variables, as seen in the current study, or morphological variables, as noted in previous publications [56]. The VR process allows the anthropologist to view elements from different angles and take measurements that are comparable to measurements obtained on dry bones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Accuracy and reliability of measurements obtained from computed tomography 3D volume rendered images

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Ali

et al. 2014

Forensic Science International

153

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Forensic pathologists commonly use computed tomography (CT) images to assist in determining the cause and manner of death as well as for mass disaster operations.Even though the design of the CT machine does not inherently produce distortion, most techniques within anthropology rely on metric variables, thus concern exists regarding the accuracy of CT images reflecting an object's true dimensions. Numerous researchers have attempted to validate the use of CT images, however the comparisons have only been conducted on limited elements and/or comparisons were between measurements taken from a dry element and measurements taken from the 3D-CT image of the same dry element.A full-body CT scan was performed prior to autopsy at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland. Following autopsy, the remains were processed to remove all soft tissues and the skeletal elements were subject to an additional CT scan. Percent differences and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess the accuracy between osteometric variables obtained from the dry skeletal elements and from CT images with and without soft tissues. An additional seven crania were scanned, measured by three observers, and the reliability was evaluated by technical error of measurement (TEM) and relative technical error of measurement (%TEM).Average percent differences between the measurements obtained from the three data sources ranged from 1.4% to 2.9%. Bland-Altman plots illustrated the two sets of measurements were generally within 2mm for each comparison between data sources. Intra-observer TEM and %TEM for three observers and all craniometric variables ranged between 0.46 mm and 0.77 mm and 0.56% and 1.06%, respectively. The three-way interobserver TEM and %TEM for craniometric variables was 2.6 mm and 2.26%, respectively. Variables that yielded high error rates were orbital height, orbital breadth, inter-orbital breadth and parietal chord. Overall, minimal differences were found among the data sources and high accuracy was noted between the observers, which prove CT images are an acceptable source to collect osteometric variables.

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“…gender determination, trauma analysis, age estimation) [18,22]. Sex determination using CT scans has already been used in many studies [4,6,14,18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%