title: Human identification through frontal sinus 3D superimposition: Pilot study with Cone Beam Computer Tomography.
abstract: As a unique anatomical feature of the human body, the frontal sinus morphology has been used for identification of unknown bodies with many techniques, mostly using 2D postero-anterior X-rays. With the increase of the use of Cone-Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT), the availability of this exam as ante-mortem records should be considered. The purpose of this study is to establish a new technique for frontal sinus identification through direct superimposition of 3D volumetric models obtained from CBCT exam, by testing two distinct situations. First, a reproducibility test, where two observers independently rendered models of frontal sinus from a sample 20 CBCT exams and identified them on each other's list. In the second situation, one observer tested the protocol and established on different exams of three individual. Using the open source DICOM viewer InVesallius(®) for rendering, Mesh Lab(®,) for positioning the models and CloudCompare for volumetric comparison, both observers matched cases with 100% accuracy and the level of coincidence in a identification situation. The uniqueness of the frontal sinus topography is remarkable and through the described technique, can be used in forensic as an identification method whenever both the sinus structure and antemortem computer tomography is available.
authors.affiliation: Anthropology and Legal Dentistry Laboratory of the University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2227, Postal Code (CEP) 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: tbeaini@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Thiago Leite
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Beaini
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo Dental School, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Duailibi-Neto
authors.affiliation: Radiology, Department of the University of São Paulo Dental School, Brazil.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chilvarquer
authors.affiliation: Legal Dentistry, Department of the University of São Paulo Dental School, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo F H
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Melani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Computed tomography; Forensic sciences; Frontal sinus; Human identification