Soft-tissue thickness values using cone beam computed tomography: A literature review.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Medical Imaging
• Anatomical Sciences

Background:

• Facial approximation is crucial for identifying unidentified human remains.
• Accurate ante-mortem facial reconstruction relies on precise soft-tissue thickness measurements.
• Various methods exist for obtaining soft-tissue data from skeletal remains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current status of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in facial approximation.
• To assess the heterogeneity of studies utilizing CBCT for soft-tissue thickness determination.
• To evaluate the impact of landmark selection, sex, and body mass index on CBCT-based facial approximation.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies employing cone beam computed tomography for soft-tissue thickness measurements.
• Analysis of methodological variations in landmark identification and data acquisition.
• Assessment of study-level factors including participant demographics (sex) and body mass index (BMI).

Main Results:

• Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a frequently used imaging modality for soft-tissue depth estimation.
• Significant heterogeneity exists across studies regarding landmark definition and measurement protocols.
• Variations in sex and body mass index (BMI) can influence soft-tissue thickness, impacting reconstruction accuracy.

Conclusions:

• CBCT is a valuable tool in forensic facial approximation, but standardization is needed.
• Further research should focus on harmonizing methodologies to reduce heterogeneity.
• Addressing variations related to sex and BMI is essential for improving the reliability of facial reconstructions.