Sex Determination Based on Nasal Index and Nasal Parameters using (Big Bore 16 Slice) Multidetector Computed Tomography 2D Scans

Background: Identification is an important objective of post mortem examination in decomposed bodies. It becomes still more difficult when the body has been reduced to skeleton. The objective of such skeleton examination includes determination of race, sex, estimation of age, stature, ascertaining cause of death, time since death and manner of death. Determination of sex takes precedence over all other objectives as it eliminates 50% of subjects from the field of search by discarding other sex in the missing population can be discarded from the study. Various anthropometric methods have been employed to measure skeletal dimensions to achieve the objectives. When the skeletal remains recovered in a broken or fragmented state, the individual bones or parts of bones are used. The use of the dimensions of nasal aperture is one such parameter that can be used to determine sex. Methods: The present study was performed to discover the possibility of sex determination from radiologic measurements of dimensions of nasal aperture and nasal Index among a known cross-section of South Indian population. In this study, by the use of Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) 2 dimensional (2D) scan, height, and width of nasal aperture were noted in 150 living non-pathologic South Indians comprising 84 males and 66 females aged 12 - 80 years referred to the Radiology Department. Using the parameters the nasal index was calculated. The data subjected to statistical analysis revealed all the three variables showing significant differences. Results: The nasal width and heights were more in males compared to females in South Indian population whereas the nasal index value was more in females. The Nasal Index alone cannot be considered for sex determination using 2D CT scans as the values were statistically insignificant in our study. But the nasal width and height showed significant results with positive predictive value being 69% (95% confidence interval of 58%, 78%) and 70% (95% confidence interval of 59%, 80%) respectively. Conclusion: MDCT 2D measurements of nasal aperture can be useful features in sex determination in South Indians.