Fonseca MT, Siqueira LFR, Belo IS, Rodrigues LG, de Torres ÉM, Franco A, Silva RF. Anatomy of the mastoid triangle and morphometric sex differences.
Morphologie 2023;
107:252-258. [PMID:
36503869 DOI:
10.1016/j.morpho.2022.11.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study aimed to quantify the area of the mastoid triangle (MT) and assess potential morphometric differences between males and females.
PATIENTS
The sample consisted of 244 dry human skulls, with biological sex known based on genetic analysis, collected from a medicolegal osteological database from Central-Western Brazil.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was observational, analytical, and cross-sectional. The skulls were analyzed using Heron's equation to calculate the area of the MT. The landmarks connecting each of the sides of the triangle were: Porion (Po)>Mastoidale (Ma)>Asterion (Ast). Morphometric references were calculated and compared based on sex.
RESULTS
The area of the MT was nearly 14% larger in males compared to females (p<0.05). The mean MT area for the right and left sides of males were 684.11±93.25mm2 and 668.94±111.95mm2, respectively. In females, the mean MT for the right and left sides were 588.93±91.09mm2 and 582.88±102.98mm2, respectively. Right and left side measurements were significantly different (p<0.05), except for Po-Ast (p=0.232).
CONCLUSION
Morphometric features regarding the MT were slightly different between males and females. Application of the MT as a dimorphic tool should be adjuvant. Moreover, this tool should be considered carefully, especially because the sex-based differences were statistically significant, but discrete between males and females.
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