Morphometric analysis of the foramen magnum in sex determination: An additional 3DCT study from Nepal on a larger sample

Background: Determination of sex of the skeletal remains plays a vital
part in the identification of an individual. This study is focused on the
morphometric measurement of the foramen magnum region and examining the
accuracy of sexual dimorphism in the Nepalese population. 
  Methods: Measurements were obtained from 3D computed tomography
(CT) scan of 261 Nepalese adult cranial bases with known age and sex.
Length and breadth of the foramen magnum, length and breadth of right and
left occipital condyles and maximum and minimum intercondylar distance
were measured on the base of the skull CT images. Results: The mean values
for all parameters were higher in males than females except for the
maximum intercondylar distance. Sex prediction done with discriminant
function scores could classify the skull with an overall accuracy of
70.5%. Conclusions: It can be concluded from the results that the
morphometric study of the foramen magnum is not suitable for sex
determination in the Nepalese population.