Gender Determination Using the Hyoid Bone: A Discriminant Function Analysis

Atie  Safaee; Ali  Bagherpour; Mohammad  Ashoori; Zahra Jamali  Paghaleh

doi:10.18502/acta.v63i6.20678

Atie Safaee Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Ali Bagherpour Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohammad Ashoori Private Practice, Mashhad, Iran
Zahra Jamali Paghaleh Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v63i6.20678

Keywords: Hyoid bone; Gender determination; Computed tomography

Abstract

The hyoid bone, with its unique morphology, offers a valuable alternative for gender determination in cases where traditional indicators like the pelvis and skull are compromised. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between gender and hyoid bone dimensions using CT scan images. This retrospective study analyzed 120 neck CT scans to investigate the relationship between gender and hyoid bone dimensions. RadiAnt DICOM Viewer software was used for evaluation. Measurements included width, length, and proximal and distal widths of the greater horns of the hyoid bones on both sides. Statistical analysis employed a range of techniques, including independent t-tests, paired t-tests, Spearman's rank correlation, and discriminant analysis, with a significance level of 0.05. This retrospective study analyzed 120 neck CT scans from 60 women (mean age 48.92±13.53 years) and 60 men (mean age 53.97±17.05 years). In examining the dimensions of the hyoid bone, all variables except the distal width of the greater horn on both sides (RDD, LDD) were found to have statistically significant differences between the two sexes. The classification of individuals by sex was correctly determined in 85% of cases using discriminant function analysis. Stepwise analysis identified hyoid body length and width as the most significant predictors, demonstrating 81.7% and 85% accuracy in classifying men and women, respectively. In our study population, measurements of body length and width at the hyoid bone proved highly reliable indicators of sex differentiation.