title: Radiographic identification by mastoid sinus and arterial pattern.
abstract: A skull and some incomplete postcranial remains were discovered in two searches over a two-month period near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The discoveries could be demonstrated to be from the same person, and the remains were shown to be consistent with a specific missing person on the basis of anthropological analysis. Further work led to a positive identification on multiple grounds, including agreement of the details of the mastoid sinus and endocranial arterial patterns observed radiographically. These features may be useful for establishing positive identification from skeletal remains when antemortem radiographic studies for comparison are limited to lateral cranial vault studies.
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Investigator, State of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Medical School, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhine
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sperry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D003020:Clothing; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008576:Meningeal Arteries; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging