Dual X-ray absorptiometry for estimating the volume of the soft tissue in the human skull.
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between soft and hard tissue measurements of the head so as to identify the range of soft tissues parameters that should be applied in forensic facial approximation. The study was performed on 85 healthy female volunteers with an age range of 35-45 years. Total and regional body composition analysis was undertaken with subjects in a recumbent position using dual X-ray absorptiometry. The head was defined from the inferior part of the mandible to the vertex. We found the range of total head soft tissue weight to be between 3.02 and 4.96 kg. The quantity of soft tissue applicable to Caucasian female subjects in good health was estimated by subtracting the weight of the brain (approximately 1.17 kg in a typical adult female) from these values. Thus, the minimum and maximum values of the soft tissue are 1.85 and 3.79 kg, respectively.
Arcudi
G
G
Division of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Cervelli
V
V
De Luna
A
A
Massimilla
M
M
Pujia
A
A
Guerra
G
G
Bruno
E
E
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009929:Organ Size; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D044465:White People