Estimation of sex from cranial measurements in an Australian population

Swift, Lauren; Obertová, Zuzana; Flavel, Ambika; Murray, Kevin; Franklin, Daniel

doi:10.1080/00450618.2022.2081358

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The application of the presented models to the broader Indonesian population must be tested. As is the case in the evaluation of cranial sex estimation standards in other large and geographically disparate populations in countries like Australia [ 36 , 37 ], it is likely that adjustments to these models will be needed when larger samples from different regions of Indonesia become available for analysis in the future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, the development of Indonesian-specific models improved classification accuracies for use in modern forensic practice. Although there are regional studies that have focused on the utility of CT scans for metric data (e.g., [ 36 ]), the inclusion of morphoscopic standards into Indonesia’s forensic anthropological literature further expands the toolkit available to forensic practitioners in that jurisdiction. This will improve their capabilities, providing access to a readily deployable standard for skeletal sex estimation that does not require expensive specialised equipment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Validating the use of clinical MSCT scans for cranial nonmetric sex estimation in a contemporary Indonesian population

Lye,

Obertová,

Bachtiar

et al. 2024

Int J Legal Med

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There is renewed interest in Asia for the development of forensic anthropological standards, partly due to the need for population-specific models to maintain high classification accuracies. At present, there are no known studies utilising morphoscopic standards specific to the Indonesian population. Craniometric analyses can often be time-consuming; morphoscopic assessments are quicker and are also known to be reliable and accurate. One of the most utilised morphoscopic standards for the estimation of skeletal sex is that of Walker (2008). Its application across population groups demonstrated reduced accuracies outside of the United States; population-specific predictive models would thus serve to improve the identification process of unknown skeletal remains. Digital imaging also allows for the validation of standards on a contemporary population and is an appropriate proxy to physical skeletal material.The present study quantifies the applicability of the Walker standard to a contemporary Indonesian population. A total of 200 cranial MSCT scans from a hospital in Makassar were analysed using OsiriX®. Scoring was performed in accordance with the Walker standard. Five univariate and nine multivariate predictive models were derived using single trait and multi-trait combinations. The best performing univariate model included the glabella, with a total classification accuracy of 82.0% and a sex bias of 14.6%. Classification accuracy with all traits considered was at 95.2% for females and 82.8% for males with a sex bias of 12.5%. These results provide forensic practitioners in Indonesia with an appropriate morphoscopic sex estimation standard, strengthening their capabilities in the field and improving judicial outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validating the use of clinical MSCT scans for cranial nonmetric sex estimation in a contemporary Indonesian population

Lye,

Obertová,

Bachtiar

et al. 2024

Int J Legal Med

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show abstract

“…Both metric and nonmetric methods are used to evaluate age, sex, ancestry, and stature relying on both cranial and postcranial data (Blau, 2010; Dirkmaat et al, 2008; Hackman, 2016; Spradley & Jantz, 2011; Swift et al, 2022). Using a metric approach, the forensic anthropologist will take landmark measurements from the skeletonized remains and conduct univariate and/or multivariate discriminant function analysis, or use software such as Fordisc (Jantz & Ousley, 2005) and CranID (Wright, 2010) to compare them to population specific reference data (Austin & King, 2016; Spradley & Weisensee, 2017).…”

Section: Secondary Forensic Profiling Methods For Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

An interdisciplinary forensic approach for human remains identification and missing persons investigations

Dahal

McNevin

Chikhani

et al. 2023

WIREs Forensic Science

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The resolution of unidentified human remains (UHR) and long‐term missing persons (LTMP) cases is paramount for administrative, legal, and humanitarian reasons. There are various forensic profiling methods for human identification; however, their utility is dependent on several factors. First, UHR can be found in different stages of decomposition, so the availability and diversity of post‐mortem (PM) information will differ. Second, the availability and totality of the LTMP's ante‐mortem (AM) information will differ. Therefore, the suitability of existing methods will be dependent on the quality and quantity of PM and/or AM data available for comparison. Visual recognition is the simplest and quickest method, but typically not practiced or possible, owing to the altered, fragmented, or skeletonized state of UHR. Primary forensic profiling methods involve the comparison of fingerprint, dental, DNA, and medical data. Secondary forensic profiling methods from anthropology, radiology, geochemistry, and anatomy disciplines can provide supplementary evidence to support comparative identification approaches. Emerging forensic molecular technologies such as genomics, microbiomics, epigenetics, and proteomics, together with individual digital footprints from personal devices, offer new investigative leads for establishing identity. However, despite the success of these individual methods, their limitations must be considered when used in isolation. Through the development of a guiding forensic examination framework, this review endorses an interdisciplinary response to unidentified and missing persons investigations, where various forensic specialists collaboratively examine UHR using a suite of contemporary forensic profiling methods to produce multiple and/or different lines of evidence to link them effectively, efficiently, comprehensively, and systematically to LTMP. This article is categorized under: Forensic Science in Action/Crime Scene Investigation > Special Situations and Investigations Forensic Biology > DNA Testing in Disaster Victim and Missing Persons Identification Forensic Medicine > Medicolegal Death Investigation Systems Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Interdisciplinary Collaboration

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Demonstrating the empirical effect of population specificity of anthropological standards in a contemporary Australian population

2023

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The ability to differentiate individuals based on their biological sex is essential for the creation of an accurate anthropological assessment; it is therefore crucial that the standards that facilitate this are likewise accurate. Given the relative paucity of population-specific anthropological standards formulated specifically for application in the contemporary Australian population, forensic anthropological assessments have historically relied on the application of established methods developed using population geographically and/or temporally disparate. The aim of the present paper is, therefore, to assess the accuracy and reliability of established cranial sex estimation methods, developed from geographically distinct populations, as applied to the contemporary Australian population. Comparison between the original stated accuracy and sex bias values (where applicable) and those achieved after application to the Australian population provides insight into the importance of having anthropological standards optimised for application in specific jurisdictions. The sample analysed comprised computed tomographic (CT) cranial scans of 771 (385 female and 386 male) individuals collected from five Australian states/territories. Cranial CT scans were visualised as three-dimensional volume-rendered reconstructions using OsiriX®. On each cranium, 76 cranial landmarks were acquired, and 36 linear inter-landmark measurements were calculated using MorphDB. A total of 35 predictive models taken from Giles and Elliot (1963), Iscan et al. (1995), Ogawa et al. (2013), Steyn and İşcan (1998) and Kranioti et al. (2008) were tested. Application to the Australian population resulted in an average decrease in accuracy of 21.2%, with an associated sex bias range between − 64.0 and 99.7% (average sex bias value of 29.6%), relative to the original studies. The present investigation has highlighted the inherent inaccuracies of applying models derived from geographically and/or temporally disparate populations. It is, therefore, imperative that statistical models developed from a population consistent with the decedent be used for the estimation of sex in forensic casework.

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Estimation of sex from cranial measurements in an Australian population

Cited by 5 publications

References 35 publications

Validating the use of clinical MSCT scans for cranial nonmetric sex estimation in a contemporary Indonesian population

Validating the use of clinical MSCT scans for cranial nonmetric sex estimation in a contemporary Indonesian population

An interdisciplinary forensic approach for human remains identification and missing persons investigations

Demonstrating the empirical effect of population specificity of anthropological standards in a contemporary Australian population

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