Costal cartilage calcification pattern--a clue for establishing sex identity.

Radiological study of costal cartilage calcification patterns in establishing the sex identity is conducted in Southern Indians. Three major patterns of calcification capable of establishing sex identity were noticed. Calcification was not observed below the ages of sixteen years in the female and twenty years in the male. This, though seriously limits the applicability of the method to age groups of sixteen and twenty years and above in the female and male sexes respectively, the ease, rapidity and relative inexpensiveness of the procedure in both living as well as dead and decomposed, requiring little expertise, recommends its use especially where a forensic expert is readily not available.