Estimation of Gender by Costochondral Calcification Model Obtained from Computed Tomography Image

Abstract

Background: Gender estimation plays a key role in human identification. Between the various meas-urement methods of gender estimation from skeletal remains, the use of the calcification patterns of costal cartilages is highly suggested especially when the skull and pelvic bones are not available. The purpose of this study is to determine the patterns of costal cartilage calcifications in the Turkish popula-tion and to predict gender accordingly.Materials and Methods: Our study was performed by using the Computed Tomography (CT) images of 200 individuals (100 female, 100 male) in the 20-60 age group who applied to Karabük University Train-ing and Research Hospital and had no costal pathology or surgery history. The classification of Rejta-rova et al. (2004) was used for the patterns of costal cartilage calcifications, and it was calculated the number and percentage of each pattern in male and female to estimate the gender.Results: The results showed 193 (96.5%) individuals with calcification in the costal cartilages and 7 (3.5%) individuals without calcification in their costal cartilages, which 3 females and 4 males. Peripher-al pattern (Type I) showed 100% male gender prediction, while central pattern (Type II) showed female gender prediction with 92.3%. Type III was the most common pattern with 66.8% in the Turkish popula-tion.Conclusions: As a result of this study, costal cartilage calcification models were obtained in the Turkish population using the method of Rejtarova et al (2004). Type I and Type II patterns showed high accuracy in terms of the usability of these models in predicting gender.