Gender determination using maxillary sinus in Cone Beam Computer Tomography
Gender determination using maxillary sinus in Cone Beam Computer Tomography
Author(s):Dr. Indushree Saini, Dr. Rajeev Sharma, Dr. Vela D. Desai, Dr. Nidhi Chugh, Dr. Deepa Walia, Dr Puneet Bhargava
Received: July 12, 2026
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Accepted: July 25, 2026
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Published:
August 10, 2026
Abstract
Background: Radiological identification of gender is employed when body is decomposed and fragmented. Various body parts are being used for gender determination such as skull, pelvis, long bones, foramen magnum, sella turcica, mandibular ramus, and paranasal sinuses in unknown remains.
Aims& Objective: This retrospective study aim to assess the reliability of morphometric measurements performed on the maxillary sinus for sex determination by using CBCT scans
Material & Methods: A hospital based observational study was carried out in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at Jaipur Dental College and Hospital. CBCT scan images of 50 subjects who were referred for CBCT imaging of skull for various reasons and fulfilled our inclusion criteria were selected for the study.
Results: In the present study, total average area of the maxillary sinus was 6.66 ± 2.35cm2 and the volume was 11.96 ± 5.18 mm. There is no significant difference between area and volume of maxillary sinus in different age groups. (P-value 0.92>0.05, P-value 0.34>0.05). The area of the maxillary sinus was more in males as compared to females and this was statistically significant. In the present study, out of 400 maxillary sinuses, 190 (47.5%) maxillary sinus showed septa. More number of pathologies in maxillary sinus were detected in males as compared to females. Maxillary sinus pathologies did not show predilection for any particular age group.
Conclusion: Maxillary sinus height was the best discriminating parameter for forensic identification with an overall accuracy ranging from 70% to 80%. Conclusions: Maxillary sinus measurements revealed anatomic variability between genders, and this approach can be applied as a complementary method for human identification.
Aims& Objective: This retrospective study aim to assess the reliability of morphometric measurements performed on the maxillary sinus for sex determination by using CBCT scans
Material & Methods: A hospital based observational study was carried out in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at Jaipur Dental College and Hospital. CBCT scan images of 50 subjects who were referred for CBCT imaging of skull for various reasons and fulfilled our inclusion criteria were selected for the study.
Results: In the present study, total average area of the maxillary sinus was 6.66 ± 2.35cm2 and the volume was 11.96 ± 5.18 mm. There is no significant difference between area and volume of maxillary sinus in different age groups. (P-value 0.92>0.05, P-value 0.34>0.05). The area of the maxillary sinus was more in males as compared to females and this was statistically significant. In the present study, out of 400 maxillary sinuses, 190 (47.5%) maxillary sinus showed septa. More number of pathologies in maxillary sinus were detected in males as compared to females. Maxillary sinus pathologies did not show predilection for any particular age group.
Conclusion: Maxillary sinus height was the best discriminating parameter for forensic identification with an overall accuracy ranging from 70% to 80%. Conclusions: Maxillary sinus measurements revealed anatomic variability between genders, and this approach can be applied as a complementary method for human identification.
Keywords: maxillary sinus, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), gender, forensic identification
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