Determination of Sex with a Discriminant Analysis of New Pelvic Bone Measurements: Part I

Abstract

The pelves of 100 black skeletons were measured on both sides for the following: (1) length from the superiormost aspect of the pubic symphysis to the nearest rim of the acetabulum (PS-A), (2) length from the highest point of the pubic tubercle to the nearest rim of the acetabulum (PT-A), (3) acetabular diameter (AD), (4) the vertical distance from the anterior aspect of the ischial tuberosity to the farthest rim of the acetabulum (IT-A), and (S) greatest femur head diameter. From these, three indices were derived: AD/PS-A (acetabulum/pubis index), AD/PT-A (acetabular diameter/pubic tubercle-acetabular rim index), and IT-A/PS-A (ischium-acetabulum height/pubic symphysis-acetabular rim index). The left AD/PS-A ratio and left IT-A height proved statistically to be of greatest discriminating value. Using these two variables, a discriminant function was derived which, followed by sorting with femur head diameter, accurately classified 97% of our sample. The acetabulum/pubis index alone with subsequent sorting by femur head diameter correctly assigned 96% of our sample. While this does not represent an improvement of predicatability over similar methods using the ischium/pubis index, measurements required for the acetabulum/pubis index are more easily defined and should, therefore, reduce the chance of observer error.

Pelvic bone indices as effective parameters of sex determination in skeletal remains: a cross-sectional study

“…Therefore, awareness of the average dimensions of the hip bone in both sexes will also help in early detection of disputed sex by forensic experts. 2 In the past, many workers have evolved various metrical parameters and indices for sexing of hip bone, Derry,3 Sraus, 4 Jovanovic and Zivanovic, 5 Jovanovic et al, 6 Singh and Potturi, 7 Schulter Ellis, 8 Turner, 9 Pal et al 10 Racial differences in Thais, Chinese, Nigerians and other and Msamati et al 12 Various metrical parameters for hip bone have also been reported by Washburn et al 13 and Davivongs et al…”

Curvature of the greater sciatic notch in sexing the human pelvis

“…The modified ischiopubic index, using the acetabulum rim instead of the central acetabular point, identified sex with an accuracy of approximately 95% or greater (Thieme and Schull, 1957;Richman et al, 1979;Kimura, 1982;Novotný, 1986). The acetabulopubic index, which is a variant of the modified ischiopubic index, diagnosed sex with an accuracy of over 90% (Schulter-Ellis et al, 1983). These indices that take advantage of the greater proportion of the pubis in the female pelvis, and are known to be more accurate in the determination of sex than the parameters based on the sciatic notch.…”

Oval in males and triangular in females? A quantitative evaluation of sexual dimorphism in the human obturator foramen

“…Because the trend for an outline to be more or less oval or triangular is difficult to visually assess and because there is an infinite number of transitional shapes, only a precise quantitative approach such as Fourier analysis allows for unambiguous characterization and statistical analysis. The pelvis is considered to be the part of the human skeleton, which presents the greatest sexual dimorphism (Martin, 1914;Washburn, 1948Washburn, , 1949Jovanovic and Zivanovic, 1965;Bass, 1969;Phenice, 1969;Palfrey, 1974;Singh and Potturi, 1978;Schulter-Ellis et al, 1983; MacLaughlin and Bruce, 1986, 1990;Lovell, 1989;Tague, 1989Tague, , 1992Anderson, 1990;Sutherland and Suchey, 1991;Arsuaga and Carretero, 1994;Rogers and Saunders, 1994;Luo, 1995;Fuller, 1998;Bruzek, 2002;Gü lekon and Turgut, 2002;Patriquin et al, 2002Patriquin et al, , 2003Patriquin et al, , 2005Uberlaker and Volk, 2002; Igbigbi and NanonoIgbigbi, 2003;Rissech et al, 2003;Walker, 2005;Steyn and Iscan, 2008;Vlak et al, 2008). Among the numerous pelvic traits presenting sex differences, the obturator foramen (foramen obturatum; also formerly named: thyroid foramen, oval foramen, ischiopubic foramen, or subpubic foramen) is regularly cited.…”