Sexing of human clavicle of North Karnataka zone by its volume

The sex determination of the individual is primary criterion of identification but, this is very difficult problem and becomes even more challenging when only a single bone like clavicle is available. The traditional methods of sexing bone are subjective and not of much help in medico-legal cases where 100% accuracy is needed. Thus metrical analysis of sexing of clavicles by volume measurement is done. For this purpose, volume of 160 adult human clavicles of known sex was measured by hydrostatic method. The volume of the right side male clavicles ranges from 11.2ml to 25.9ml (mean of 17.52ml±3.78), where as that of right side female clavicles ranges from 7.2ml to 21.6ml (mean of 12.57ml ± 3.23). The volume of left male clavicles ranges from 11.3ml to 33.4ml (mean of 17.86 ± 4.09ml) and that of left female clavicles ranges from 6.3ml to 19.6ml mean of 11.30 ± 2.80 ml). The volume of clavicles has high statistical significance in sex differentiation (P<0.001). The prediction of correct sex by volume of clavicle alone is 77% for male and 83.30% for female right clavicles and 74% male and 87.50% female left clavicles. On applying concept of ‘demarking point’ only 15.4% of right male and 28% of left male clavicles are sexed correctly but no (0%) female clavicles are identified as such.