The dimensional and morphological assessment of the frontal sinus in sex estimation among different populations

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to determine the dimorphic potential of the frontal sinus (FS) index, area, and the combination of both variables to ascertain its accuracy in sex discrimination among Bosnian, Chinese, and Nepalese. METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed the digital standardized lateral cephalometric of 654 Bosnian, Chinese, and Nepalese adult patients (116 females, 102 males; age range 17–40 years). The following FS parameters were analyzed: The maximum height, width, and area of the FS, and the ratio of height and width was calculated as the FS index. The measurements were analyzed using logistic regression analysis for the FS index, area, and combined FS index and area. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed between the mean values of the FS index and the area between females and males in each population. The highest frequency of bilateral absence of FS was detected among females, specifically in Chinese (6.6%). Logistic regression equation derived from the present study differentiated between sexes with higher classification percentages for the FS index and area with 62.4%, 75.2%, and 78.4% among Bosnian, Chinese, and Nepalese subjects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study highlight the implications of the combined FS index and area as a reliable approach in sex estimation in forensic science whenever both the FS structure and lateral cephalometric are available.