• Ana Bedalov, Željana Bašić, Ivan Marelja, Krešimir Dolić, Krešimir Bukarica, Saša Missoni, Mario Šlaus, Dragan Primorac, Šimun Andjelinović, and Ivana Kružić.
• Ivana Kružić, Ruđera Boškovića 33, 21000 Split, ivana.kruzic@unist.hr.
• Croat. Med. J. 2019 Jun 13; 60 (3): 237245237-245.

AimTo determine the sexual dimorphism of the sternum with standard measurements in a contemporary Croatian population sample using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and to compare the data obtained by an automatic with those obtained by a manual approach.MethodsFive sternal measurements were obtained from MSCT images of 73 men and 55 women and three sternal indices were calculated. Custom image analysis software was developed for automatic segmentation and calculation of sternal measurements. Measurements of sexual dimorphism were automatically calculated and compared with manual measurements.ResultsAll of the sternal measurements exhibited significant differences between men and women. The discrepancies between manual and automatic measurements ranged from 2.8% to 3.6% of the mean average values obtained with the automatic approach. The most accurate single-variable discriminant function was sternal body length (82.8%), the most accurate index was sternal area (89.1%), and the discriminant function using three variables was manubrium width, sternal body length, and sternal body width (90.6%).ConclusionSternal measurements are a reliable sex indicator and can be used in forensic casework. Computer-aided measurement methods can accelerate sex estimation and improve its precision and accuracy.

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