Gender Determination Through Maxillary Sinus Volumes: A Single-Center Computed Tomography Study.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Anatomical Measurement
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate sex determination from skeletal remains is crucial in forensic anthropology.
• Maxillary sinus morphology presents potential for osteometric sex estimation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative values for maxillary sinus dimensions for gender determination.
• To assess the utility of maxillary sinus measurements in sex estimation from skeletal remains.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomography (CT) scans of 520 individuals were analyzed.
• Measurements included maxillary sinus height, width, length, and volume.
• Statistical analysis was performed to correlate measurements with gender.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant relationship was found between gender and maxillary sinus volume for both right (accuracy=62%) and left (accuracy=60%) sinuses.
• Specific volume thresholds (17.49 cm³ for right, 18.08 cm³ for left) showed distinct gender distributions.
• Lower volumes were more frequently associated with females.

Conclusions:

• Maxillary sinus dimensions, particularly volume, derived from CT scans are valuable for sex determination in forensic cases.
• These osteometric data provide a reliable method for sex estimation when dealing with unidentified skeletal remains.