Anat Biol Anthropol.  2022 Sep;35(3):85-92. 10.11637/aba.2022.35.3.85.

Craniometric Analysis Using Cranial Index (CI) and Petrous Ridge-midline Angle (PMA) in the Korean Population: Postmortem Computed Tomography-based Study

• Park KR
• Cho J
• Kim D
• Kwon HW
• Choi YJ
• Lee M
• Lee S
• Choi I
• Park J

• KMID: 2535007
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11637/aba.2022.35.3.85

Abstract

The human skull has a very complex and diverse structure, and morphological characteristics are distinct by race. The purpose of this study is to classify the skull shape of the Korean population by applying two classification methods using post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) images, and to obtain anatomical data by comparing characteristics by gender and age group. 146 PMCT cross-sectional images (72 males, 74 females) provided by the National Forensic Service were analyzed, and the average age was 54.7±18.8 years. The maximum cranial length was divided by the maximum cranial width and multiplied by 100 to calculate the cranial index (CI). Petrous ridge-midline angle (PMA) was measured as the angle between the petrous ridge and the midline. In CI cranial morphology classification, brachycranic was found in 129 (88.4%) and mesocranic 17 (11.6%) cases, and brachycranic showed the highest frequency. There was no significant difference in the frequency of skull morphology by gender and age group. In the skull morphology classification of PMA, brachycranic was identified in 86 (58.9%), mesocranic in 57 (39.0%), and dolicocranic in 3 (2.1%), and brachycranic showed the highest frequency. In the frequency analysis by gender, male brachycranic showed higher frequency than female (p=0.010). In the frequency analysis for age groups, the frequency of brachycranic in the middle and old age groups was higher than in the young age group (p=0.047). In conclusion, Brachycranic showed the highest frequency in both CI and PMA cranial morphology classification, which is considered to be useful basic data that can be used clinically and forensic anthropology.

Keyword

Cranial morphology; Cranial index; Petrous ridge-midline angle; Post-mortem computed tomography