Int J Legal Med. 2026 Mar 30. doi: 10.1007/s00414-026-03784-3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Sex estimation is fundamental in establishing the biological profile in forensic anthropology. However, osteometric standards from one population often do not apply to another due to ethnic and environmental variations. This study analyzed pelvic anthropometric measurement using three-dimensional (3D) Computed Tomography (CT) scans to establish population-specific sex estimation standards for the Gujarati population. A retrospective cross-sectional study at a tertiary care center in Gujarat analyzed pelvic CT scans of 300 adults aged 18-65 years. Eight pelvic measurement and three indices were measured using NeoRad software. Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test and multivariate Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) to generate sex-classification models. The analysis revealed significant sexual dimorphism (p < 0.05) in four measurement: Ischial Length, Iliac Height, Acetabular Breadth, and Subpubic Angle. Males exhibited larger dimensions, except for the subpubic angle, which was wider in females. The multivariate discriminant function model achieved 80.7% classification accuracy, correctly classifying 80.6% of males and 80.8% of females. The study shows that 3D CT-derived pelvic measurement reliably indicate sex determination in the Gujarati population. The discriminant functions provide a non-invasive, population-specific tool that enhances forensic identification accuracy in this region, emphasizing local standards over global averages.
PMID:41906050 | DOI:10.1007/s00414-026-03784-3
