[Morphological classification of frontal sinuses on digital X-ray films and its forensic identification indexes].
OBJECTIVE
To explore morphological classification of the Caldwell view of frontal sinuses in computer radiography (CR) for forensic identification and to construct a forensic identification system with digital X-ray films with assistance of identification indexes coding.


METHODS
Four hundred CR films of the Caldwell view of frontal sinus were selected from Sichuan Han ethnic Chinese. The frontal sinuses were classified according to the relationship between the tangential line above the upper edge of the bilateral orbits and the location of the frontal sinus. Then to code the identification indexes for the frontal sinus.


RESULTS
The Caldwell view of frontal sinuses were classified into 6 categories. Eight identification indexes for the frontal sinus were identified, including degree of asymmetry, superiority of side, ratio of the left frontal sinus area and orbit area (A(LFS)/A(LOR)), ratio of the right frontal sinus area and orbit area ((RFS)/A(ROR)), outline of the left upper border, outline of the right upper border, occurrence of partial septa and location of frontal median margin.


CONCLUSIONS
Initial identification by the Caldwell view classification of frontal sinuses followed with coding the frontal sinuses with 8 indexes is likely a novel approach for forensic identification of the frontal sinuses in CR.
Huang
Yun
Y
Department of Forensic Pathology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. lionet_007@163.com
Xu
Zhe
Z
Zhang
Jian-Bo
JB
Zhang
Hong-Xia
HX
Deng
Zhen-Hua
ZH
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods*; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult