Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Estimation of stature from cranial sutures in a South Indian male population

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of estimating height from length of coronal and sagittal sutures of the skull for the positive identification of the height in forensic investigations concerned with fragmentary skeletal remains. The study was conducted on 87 male bodies subjected to medicolegal autopsy in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, South India and the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, South India. Length of coronal suture was measured from left pterion at the junction of sphenoparietal with the sphenofrontal suture, along the coronal plane, over the coronal suture to the pterion on the right side. Length of sagittal suture was measured from bregma along the sagittal plane over the sagittal suture to the lambda. The data collected were subjected to statistical methods. Significant correlation was found between height and coronal suture length in males, when compared to sagittal suture. The correlation coefficient between height and coronal suture was 0.363. The correlation coefficient between height and sagittal suture was 0.090. Linear regression equations for stature estimation were derived from coronal suture length in male population. Coronal suture length gives more accurate results in estimating stature than sagittal suture. However, in cases where identification is required by means of only skull, this method could prove useful.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  1. Pretty IA (2007) Forensic dentistry: 1. Identification of human remains. Dent Update 34:621–634

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Rastogi P, Nagesh KR, Yoganarasimha K (2008) Estimation of stature from hand dimensions of North and South Indians. Legal Med (Tokyo) 10:185–189

    Google Scholar 

  3. Rosing FW, Graw M, Marre B, Ritz-Timme S, Rothschild MA, Rotzscher K, Schmeling A, Schroder I, Geserick G (2007) Recommendations for the forensic diagnosis of sex and age from skeletons. Homo 58(1):75–89

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Nagesh KR, Kumar GP (2006) Estimation of stature from vertebral column length in South Indians. Legal Med (Tokyo) 8:269–272

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. De Mendonca MC (2000) Estimation of height from the length of long bones in a Portuguese adult population. Am J Phys Anthropol 112:39–48

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mysorekar VL, Verma PK, Mandedkar AN, Sarmat TCSR (1980) Estimation of stature from parts of bones—lower end of femur and upper end of radius. Med Sci Law 20:283–286

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ozden H, Balci Y, Demirustu C, Turgut A, Ertugrul M (2005) Stature and sex estimate using foot and shoe dimensions. Forensic Sci Int 147:181–184

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Meadows L, Jantz RL (1992) Estimation of stature from metacarpal lengths. J Forensic Sci 37:147–154

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Byers S, Akoshima K, Curran B (1989) Determination of adult stature from metatarsal length. Am J Phys Anthropol 79:275–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Chiba M, Terazawa K (1998) Estimation of stature from somatometry of skull. Forensic Sci Int 97:87–92

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Campobasso CP, Di Vella G, Introna Jr F (1998) Using scapular measurements in regression formulae for the estimation of stature. Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper 74:75–82

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Krishan K, Kumar R (2007) Determination of stature from cephalo-facial dimensions in a North Indian population. Legal Med 9:128–133

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Jasuja OP, Harbhajan S, Anupama K (1997) Estimation of stature from stride length while walking fast. Forensic Sci Int 86:181–186

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Iscan MY (2005) Forensic anthropology of sex and body size. Forensic Sci Int 147:107–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Knussmann R, Sperwien A (1988) Relations between anthropometric characteristics and androgen hormone levels in healthy young men. Ann Hum Biol 15(2):131–142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ryan I, Bidmos MA (2007) Skeletal height reconstruction from measurements of the skull in indigenous South Africans. Forensic Sci Int 167:16–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Puschel K, Koops E (1987) Dismemberment and mutilation (2). Arch Kriminol 180:88–100

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. O’Connor WG (1999) Briefly unidentified: a study of peculiar source of identification. J Forensic Sci 44:713–715

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Benecke M, Rodriguez Y, Rowinski M (2002) Luis Alfredo Garavito Cubillos: criminal and legal aspects of serial homicide with over 200 victims. Arch Kriminol 210:83–94

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tsokos M, Turk EE, Madea B, Koop E, Longauer F, Szabo M et al (2003) Pathologic features of suicidal deaths caused by explosives. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 24:55–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Introna F Jr, Di Vella G, Petrachi S (1993) [Abstract in English] Determination of height in life using multiple regression of skull parameters. Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper 69:153–160

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Patil KR, Mody RN (2005) Determination of sex by discriminant function analysis and stature by regression analysis: a lateral cephalometric study. Forensic Sci Int 147:175–180

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Van der Lugt C, Nagelkerke NJ, Maat GJ (2005) Study of the relationship between a person’s stature and the height of an ear imprint from the floor. Med Sci Law 45:135–141

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Singh I (2000) Textbook of human osteology. Jaypee Brothers, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  25. Muhler M, Schulz R, Schmidt S, Schmeling A, Reisinger W (2006) The influence of slice thickness on assessment of clavicle ossification in forensic age diagnostics. Int J Legal Med 120:15–17

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Schmeling A, Schulz R, Danner B, Rosing FW (2006) The impact of economic progress and modernization in medicine on the ossification of hand and wrist. Int J Legal Med 120:121–126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Schmeling A, Baumann U, Wernecke KD, Reisinger W (2006) Reference data for the Thiemann–Nitz method of assessing skeletal age for the purpose of forensic age estimation. Int J Legal Med 120:1–4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Quatrehomme G, Balaguer T, Staccini P, Alunni-Perret (2007) Assessment of the accuracy of three-dimensional manual craniofacial reconstruction: a series of 25 controlled cases. Int J Legal Med 121:469–475

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Ramsthaler F, Kreutz K, Verhoff MA (2007) Accuracy of metric sex analysis of skeletal remains using Fordisc® based on a recent skull collection. Int J Legal Med 121:477–482

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Braga J, Treil J (2007) Estimation of pediatric skeletal age using geometric morphometrics and three-dimensional cranial size changes. Int J Legal Med 121:439–443

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Sopher IM (1972) The dentist, the forensic pathologist and the identification of skeletal remains. J Am Dent Assoc 85:1324–1329

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Olze A, Bilang D, Schmidt S, Wernecke KD, Geserick G, Schmeling A (2005) Validation of common classifications systems for assessing the mineralization of third molars. Int J Legal Med 119:22–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Bidmos MA (2008) Estimation of stature using fragmentary femora in indigenous South Africans. Int J Legal Med 122:293–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Holland TD (1992) Estimation of adult stature from fragmentary tibias. J Forensic Sci 37:1223–1229

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Jason DR, Taylor K (1995) Estimation of stature from the length of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments of the spine in American whites and blacks. J Forensic Sci 40:59–62

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Simmons T, Jantz RL, Bass WM (1990) Stature estimation from fragmentary femora: a revision of the Steele method. J Forensic Sci 35:628–636

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Kalia S, Shetty SK, Patil K, Mahima VG (2008) Stature estimation using odontometry and skull anthropometry. Indian J Dent Res 19:150–154

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Krogman WM, Iscan MY (1986) Calculation of stature. In: Krogman WM, Iscan MY (eds) Human skeleton in forensic medicine. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp 302–351

    Google Scholar 

  39. Sarangi AK, Dadhi B, Mishra KK (1981) Estimating of stature from adult skull bone. J Ind Acad Forensic Med 182:24–26

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Mangalore, 575001, Karnataka, India

    P. P. Jagadish Rao, Ritesh G. Menezes & Tanuj Kanchan

  2. Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, India

    Jagadish Sowmya

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, VMKV Medical College, Salem, India

    K. Yoganarasimha

  4. Department of Physiology, Yenepoya Medical College, Deralakattae, Mangalore, India

    R. Aswinidutt

Authors
  1. P. P. Jagadish Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jagadish Sowmya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Yoganarasimha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ritesh G. Menezes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tanuj Kanchan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. Aswinidutt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. P. Jagadish Rao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jagadish Rao, P.P., Sowmya, J., Yoganarasimha, K. et al. Estimation of stature from cranial sutures in a South Indian male population. Int J Legal Med 123, 271–276 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-008-0316-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-008-0316-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation