Determination of sex from the tibia

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Osteology
• Human Anatomy

Background:

• Sex determination from skeletal remains is crucial in forensic investigations.
• The tibia, a major long bone, has not been extensively studied for sex determination using its shaft.
• Previous research has primarily focused on other skeletal elements like the femur.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of using the complete tibia and its shaft for sex determination.
• To establish reliable morphometric methods for sex identification from tibial measurements.
• To compare the accuracy of sex determination from the tibia with existing methods using other bones.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 159 tibial specimens from the Terry Collection (White and Black individuals).
• Measurements included tibial length, circumference, and anteroposterior/transverse dimensions at the nutrient foramen.
• Step-wise discriminant function analysis was employed to assess sexual dimorphism.

Main Results:

• Tibial circumference alone provided an average accuracy of 80% for sex determination.
• Incorporating additional tibial dimensions increased accuracy by approximately 4%.
• Sexual dimorphism in the tibia is influenced by growth, musculoskeletal activity, and population-specific genetic factors (racial variation).

Conclusions:

• The tibia, particularly its circumference, is a valuable element for sex determination in osteological and forensic contexts.
• Morphometric analysis of the tibia offers a viable alternative or supplement to methods using other skeletal elements.
• Racial variation plays a significant role in the degree of sexual dimorphism observed in the tibia.