title: Gender assessment through three-dimensional analysis of maxillary sinuses by means of cone beam computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The availability of a low dose radiation technology such as Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in dental practice has increased the number of scans available for forensic purposes. Moreover, specific software allows for three-dimensional (3D) characterization of the maxillary sinuses. This study was performed to determine whether sinus maxillary volumes can be useful to identify gender after validating the use of the Dolphin software as a tool for volumetric estimation of maxillary sinus volumes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The validation was performed by four different operators measuring the volume of six phantoms, where the real volume was already known. The maxillary sinus volumes of 52 patients (26 males and 26 females) mean age 24.3 were calculated and compared between genders and sagittal skeletal class subdivision. The measurements for patients and phantoms were based on CBCT scans (ILUMA™) processed by Dolphin 3D software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistical difference was observed between the real volume and the volume measurements performed by the operators. No statistical difference was found in patient's maxillary sinus volumes between gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, it is not possible to support the use of maxillary sinuses to discern sexual difference in corpse identification.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. matteo.saccucci@uniroma1.it.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Saccucci
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Cipriani
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Carderi
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Di Carlo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: D'Attilio
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Rodolfino
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Festa
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Polimeni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D055815:Young Adult