title: The gender predictive value of sternal length.
abstract: Measurement of sternal length on chest plate x-rays from 617 autopsied adults was made to assess the ability to predict sex. Manubrio-mesosternal lengths in men and women differ significantly, the mean length in women being 22 mm less than in men. Gender predictive values of 0.95, 0.90, and 0.80 were calculated from this material. A range (143-157 mm) does exist, however, in which predictive value may be less than 80% accurate. When sternal length is combined with the pattern of costal cartilage mineralization, 85% of all adults can be accurately sexed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology; D002356:Cartilage / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals; D010012:Osteogenesis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013249:Sternum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals