Biological sex variation of the maxillary sinus utilizing 3D computerized tomography within a modern United States population

Abstract

Objectives

Biological Sex estimation is an essential component of the biological profile examined by forensic anthropologists, offering potential leads for identification in law enforcement and the public. Recently, attention has turned toward investigating the utility of the maxillary sinus as a tool for estimating biological sex within forensic anthropology. This research examines biological sex variation of the maxillary sinus's volume, surface area, and dimensions (length, width, and height) using a 3D model constructed from computerized tomography (CT) scans within a contemporary population in New Mexico.

Material and Methods

Automated linear, surface area, and volume measurements were performed on a reference sample (n = 90) from 45 identified males and 45 identified females using 3D modeling of CT scans through 3D Slicer©, MeshLab©, and Meshmixer© following Robles et al. (2020) [45] protocol.

Results

Statistical analysis was performed using JMP Pro16.1.0. Overall, there were no significant differences between the right and left sides of the maxillary sinus or between the biological sexes (p>0.01). The statistically insignificant results between biological sexes contradict international studies stating that the maxillary sinus is a tool that can be utilized for biological sex estimation.

Conclusion

These results could indicate that (1) sexual dimorphism within a US population is lower than in international samples and (2) sample sizes need to be increased to account for more population variation and to better interpret results. Therefore, researchers should further investigate the usefulness of the maxillary sinus as a predictive tool for estimating biological sex.