1Senior Resident, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K.S Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (DU), Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India
2Professor & HOD, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K.S Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (DU), Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India
3Senior Resident, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Tatibandh, G E road, Chattisgarh-492099, India
4Additional Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K.S Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (DU), Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India
5Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K.S Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (DU), Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India
Human orbit is one such area where many investigators have a vested interest for its use in identification due to its dimorphic features.
1. To determine sex with the help of orbital index.
2. To analyze and compare the measurements of right and left orbital index in dry skulls and to see their statistical significance.
3. To derive the regression formula of orbital index for sex identification.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using seventy-two dry skulls (47 males and 25 females) obtained from the departmental museums of Forensic Medicine and Anatomy. The morphometric values were recorded, orbital index was calculated, and all parameters were analysed, followed by independent ‘t’ test and discriminant function analysis.
The right orbital index (ROI) and left orbital index (LOI) were found to be higher in males than in females. However, the values of ROI and LOI were statistically significant only in females. The LOI was found to be higher both in male and female orbits when compared to ROI. The discriminant function equation for right orbital index was found to be (-13.325) + (0.152) x (ROI) and for left orbital index (-15.89) + (0.179) x (LOI). The overall accuracy in identification of sex by using the Right Orbital Index (ROI) was 65.3% and for Left Orbital Index (LOI) was 59.7% respectively.
Orbital index is a poor indicator of sex and is of limited significance without population reference. However, statistically significant values were found for female OI, and thus sheds new light on the metric reality of female orbits among the study population.
Forensic Anthropology, Dacryon, Orbital Index, Skull, Sexual Dimorphism, Sex estimation
