Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
Forensic Medicine Department, Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, Ministry of Justice, Alexandria, Egypt.
Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2021 Mar;17(1):19-26. doi: 10.1007/s12024-020-00348-8. Epub 2021 Jan 6.
Sex estimation from isolated or fragmented bones is a cornerstone in medicolegal identification. The current study aimed to estimate sex from the lengths of the coronal and sagittal sutures in a sample of Egyptians. The study was performed on a total of 80 adult cadavers (48 males and 32 females) during a routine autopsy. After exposure of the skull vault, the lengths of the coronal and sagittal sutures were measured using a thread and a graduated scale. The mean length of the coronal suture was significantly higher in males (24.8 ± 1.4 cm) than in females (22.7 ± 1.4 cm). The mean length of the sagittal suture was significantly higher in males (11.9±1.6 cm) than in females (10.8±1.6 cm). This study used the lengths of the coronal and sagittal sutures as measurements for sex estimation for the first time. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the combined coronal and sagittal sutures lengths were the best sex discriminator (AUC= 0.859), followed by the coronal suture length (AUC= 0.855), and sagittal suture length (AUC= 0.697). Moreover, regression analysis was performed for sex determination; the highest accuracy was obtained by an equation that included the lengths of the coronal and sagittal sutures together (76%); followed by the coronal suture length (75%); then the sagittal suture length (71%). These measurements are easily obtained during a conventional autopsy and this method of sex estimation is cost effective when compared to radiological and DNA analysis. Moreover, the measurements can be carried out on dry skulls as long as the vault has identifiable landmarks.
从孤立或破碎的骨骼中进行性别估计是法医学鉴定的基石。本研究旨在通过埃及人的样本，从冠状和矢状缝的长度来估计性别。这项研究共对 80 具成人尸体（48 名男性和 32 名女性）进行了常规解剖。在暴露颅骨穹顶后，使用线和刻度测量冠状和矢状缝的长度。男性的冠状缝平均长度（24.8 ± 1.4 厘米）明显高于女性（22.7 ± 1.4 厘米）。男性的矢状缝平均长度（11.9±1.6 厘米）明显高于女性（10.8±1.6 厘米）。本研究首次使用冠状和矢状缝的长度作为性别估计的测量值。接收者操作特征（ROC）曲线分析显示，冠状和矢状缝长度的组合是最佳的性别判别器（AUC=0.859），其次是冠状缝长度（AUC=0.855）和矢状缝长度（AUC=0.697）。此外，还进行了性别确定的回归分析；包含冠状和矢状缝长度的方程获得了最高的准确性（76%）；其次是冠状缝长度（75%）；然后是矢状缝长度（71%）。这些测量值在常规尸检中很容易获得，与放射学和 DNA 分析相比，这种性别估计方法具有成本效益。此外，只要穹顶有可识别的标志，就可以在干颅骨上进行测量。
