The Value of Lateral Cephalometric Variables Measured by Cephalogram in Sex Determining among Iranians

PURPOSE: Sex determination is one of the most important aspects of the personal identification in forensic medicine. The present study thus aimed to assess the value of cephalogram in determining sex by applying eleven linear and an angular cephalometric variables measured on lateral cephalograms among Iranians.

METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 11 linear and 1 angular cephalometric measurements were studied. Those are: basion to anterior nasal spine, upper facial height, length of cranial base, total face height, frontal sinus height, mastoidale to sella-nasion plan, mastoidale to porion-orbital plan, mastoid height from cranial base, mastoid with at the level of cranial base, mandibular effective length (central condyle to prognation), occipitofrontal diameter, and gonial angle. Measurements were assessed in 150 individuals (75 males and 75 females) aged 25 to 54 years. After preparing lateral cephalograms, the cephalometric measurements were analyzed using PACS software. SPSS version 22.0 was used for analysis. P values of 0.05 or less were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: With the exception of gonial angle, comparison of lateral cephalometric indices between two sexs showed greater values in males than in females (p<0.001). In general, almost all of the cephalometric measurements were found reliable to distinguish between male and female sex skulls with a high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97.3% to 1000%).

CONCLUSION: The cephalometric measurements used in this study are able to differentiate with high specificity and sensitivity between male and female skull