title: A novel method for pair-matching using three-dimensional digital models of bone: mesh-to-mesh value comparison.
abstract: The commingling of human remains often hinders forensic/physical anthropologists during the identification process, as there are limited methods to accurately sort these remains. This study investigates a new method for pair-matching, a common individualization technique, which uses digital three-dimensional models of bone: mesh-to-mesh value comparison (MVC). The MVC method digitally compares the entire three-dimensional geometry of two bones at once to produce a single value to indicate their similarity. Two different versions of this method, one manual and the other automated, were created and then tested for how well they accurately pair-matched humeri. Each version was assessed using sensitivity and specificity. The manual mesh-to-mesh value comparison method was 100 % sensitive and 100 % specific. The automated mesh-to-mesh value comparison method was 95 % sensitive and 60 % specific. Our results indicate that the mesh-to-mesh value comparison method overall is a powerful new tool for accurately pair-matching commingled skeletal elements, although the automated version still needs improvement.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Edinburgh, UK. marakarell@gmail.com.|School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. marakarell@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mara A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karell
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Edinburgh, UK.|School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Helen K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Langstaff
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Demetrios J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Halazonetis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minghetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.|UMR 7268 ADES, Aix-Marseille Université/EFS/CNRS, Marseille, France.|Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frelat
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Edinburgh, UK.|School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Elena F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Kranioti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: 3D geometry; 3D modeling; Commingled remains; Forensic anthropology; Mesh-to-mesh value comparison; Pair-matching