Sex Determination by Applying Discriminant Functional Analysis on Patellar Morphometry

Recently a method which estimates the sex of unknown skeletal remains by discriminant functional analysis (DFA) of the patella bone has received much recognition. DFA equation on patella bone is available for South Italian population, Iranian population, Thai population, archeological sample of prehistoric period and also for South Africans of European ancestry. The aim of this study was to derive discriminant functional equation for sex determination from measurements of patella bones in North Indian population The authors have analyzed 31 skeletons (19 males and 12 females) of both sides from the collection in the Department of Anatomy, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak. Seven measurements for both the sides were taken on 62 patella bones of males (19) and females (12). Parameters measured were maximum length, maximum width, maximum thickness, maximum height and width of external and internal articular facets. These measurements were used to determine sex by using discriminant functional analysis. The results of this study exclusively based on patellar dimensions can determine the sex of North Indian population when other long bones, skull and pelvis bones are not available or after major accidental deaths when long ones get fragmented. This discriminant function carried out by statistical analysis will be the future method for sex determination which needs basic data for this bone from their own population.