The limits of conventional techniques in anthropometry and the potential of alternative approaches (original) (raw)
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Anthropometry in Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science-'Forensic Anthropometry
The Internet Journal of Forensic Science, 2007
Anthropometry is a series of systematized measuring techniques that express quantitatively the dimensions of the human body and skeleton. Anthropometry is often viewed as a traditional and perhaps the basic tool of biological anthropology, but it has a long tradition of use in forensic sciences and it is finding increased use in medical sciences especially in the discipline of forensic medicine. It is highly objective and reliable in the hands of trained anthropometrists. The significance and importance of somatometry, cephalometry, craniometry and osteometry in the identification of human remains have been described and a new term of 'forensic anthropometry' is coined. Some of the recent studies which employ various techniques of anthropometry are discussed. The ultimate aim of using anthropometry in forensic medicine/science is to help the law enforcement agencies in achieving 'personal identity' in case of unknown human remains.
Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 2017
The aim of this study was to analyze the repeatability in a stereophotogrammetry digital system used for the evaluation of facial morphology. Thirty healthy Brazilian, 18 to 45 years old (26.71 AE 6.53), had 11 reference landmarks marked on their faces by the same examiner and were photographed with an interval of 1 week by the VECTRA M3. Nine angular measurements (nasolabial, mentolabial, nasofrontal, maxillofacial, nasal, maxillary, mandibular, facial convexity, full facial convexity) and 2 linear measurements (middle facial height and lower facial height) were taken. Repeatability was analyzed by the mean absolute differences, relative error of magnitude, technical error of measurement, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman analysis. Paired t test sought any systematic errors between the acquisitions. Associations among body mass index, age, and the error in the measurements were made using the Pearson correlation coefficient. For the technical error of measurement, the nasolabial and mentolabial angles showed values >28 (clinical limit set for this study). For the relative error of measurement, most of the measures were rated between good and excellent. The maxillofacial angle was only moderate. There was a systematic error for middle facial height. The nasolabial, mentolabial, facial convexity, full facial convexity, maxillofacial, and nasofrontal angles presented intraclass correlation coefficient values rated as excellent. The relationship between age/body mass index and the error found between measurements was not confirmed. The nasolabial and mentolabial angles should be interpreted with caution due to the variability showed. The results found stereophotogrammetry to be repeatable, giving accurate measures within the references established for this study.
Morphometric analysis of Cartesian coordinates of the human skull
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1975
A method for locating the three dimensional coordinates of cranial landmarks with respect to the Frankfort, midsagittal, and coronal planes is presented. Sliding calipers were used to obtain the distances from left and right porion and apex to each landmark, except for a few points where spreading calipers are required. In the present example, 35 landmarks (for a total of 105 measurements) were located for each of 35 Peruvian precolumbian skulls. These distances were entered into a program (SKULL) which calculates the Cartesian coordinates of each landmark. The XYZ coordinates of each landmark contain all the information necessary for calculation of the distances between any two landmarks, and these distances may also be obtained as output from program SKULL, if desired (595 distances if all 35 landmarks are used). Reliability of the location of coordinates was determined by comparing computed distances among selected landmarks from program SKULL with traditional anthropometric measurements. Satisfactory agreements were found. Direct multivariate analysis of the coordinates of the landmarks produced insights not available in traditional multivariate analysis of conventional anthropometric measuremen ts.
Introductory Chapter - Morphometric Studies: Beyond Pure Anatomical Form Analysis
New Insights into Morphometry Studies, 2017
Morphometrics (or morphometry) 1 refers to the study of shape variation of organs and organisms and its covariation with other variables [1]: "Defined as the fusion of geometry and biology, morphometrics deals with the study of form in two-or three-dimensional space" [2]. Shape encompasses, together with size, the form in Needham's equation (1950) [3], two aspects with differing properties. Scientific production in the morphometric field has increased dramatically over the last few decades. I do not doubt that largely this has resulted from easily available and (usually) fairly comprehensive computer programs, cheaper and more powerful personal computers, and more specialized and less expensive equipment for raw data acquisition: "Fortunately, the morphometric community is replete with theorists who also generate software, and thus numerous packages are available" [4]. Therefore, in addition to the "classical" tools for obtaining data (such as images), there is currently a wide spectrum of very advanced technology available, making measurements of any type easier, with more resolution, three-dimensional, less invasive and more complex: computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, surface scanners and other three-dimensional data-collection devices, scanners. 2 An example of this "new technological age" is the estimation of body surface area (BSA). The estimation of BSA can be traced back to 1793, when Abernathy directly measured the surface area of the head, hand, and foot in humans using triangular-shaped paper, estimating the remaining segments of the body using linear geometry [5]. Similarly in animals, initial BSA data were obtained by pasting strips of strong manila paper, gummed on one side, to the hair of the animals [6] or rolling a revolving metal cylinder of a known area, attached to a revolution counter [7]. Recently, however, 1 From the Greek μορϕή, morphe, meaning "form", and-μετρία, metria, meaning "measurement." The term "morphometrics" seems to have been coined in 1957 by Robert E. Blackith from Dublin University, who studied the subject in relation to locusts [1]. 2 No single type of imaging is always better; each has different potential advantages and disadvantages, and obviously their interpretation is subject to the hypothesis at hand.
Evaluation of craniometric measurements in human skulls
2021
Aim: We aimed to provide a source of information that could contribute to the determination of normal values in our country and to reveal possible variations by comparing our results with the literature. Material and Method: Our study was carried out on 60 skulls of unknown gender and age found in the Laboratory of the Department of Anatomy. Measurements were made directly on the skull using an inelastic and soft measuring tape, Holtain Harpenden anthropometric set, and a digital sliding caliper (Mitutoyo). In our study, using direct anthropometric measurement techniques, the measurements of the head and face regions were taken by a single researcher three times and their averages were calculated. 19 anthropometric points were determined and used for 22 measurements. Results: As a result of our study, the head and face data were generally lower than the literature. Apertura piriformis height (APH), orbital length (OL) and orbital width (d-ec) results were compared as left and right ...
Anthropometric Measurements Usage in Medical Sciences
BioMed Research International, 2015
Morphometry is introduced as quantitative approach to seek information concerning variations and changes in the forms of organisms that described the relationship between the human body and disease. Scientists of all civilization, who existed until today, examined the human body using anthropometric methods. For these reasons, anthropometric data are used in many contexts to screen for or monitor disease. Anthropometry, a branch of morphometry, is the study of the size and shape of the components of biological forms and their variations in populations. Morphometrics can also be defined as the quantitative analysis of biological forms. The field has developed rapidly over the last two decades to the extent that we now distinguish between traditional morphometrics and the more recent geometric morphometrics. Advances in imaging technology have resulted in the protection of a greater amount of morphological information and have permitted the analysis of this information. The oldest and...