Humeral Length Estimation: Retrospective Radiological and Anthropometric Investigation

Abstract

Researchers have made it possible to estimate the length of bones from their fragments in recent times; therefore, the stature can be estimated from the length of the bones so derived. The length of long bones has been the major means through which stature estimates were made. This study aimed to compare the length estimates of the humerus from anatomical landmarks (variables) on the bone and x-ray radiographs of humerus in adult Nigerians. 600 bones and 600 radiographs obtained from Anatomy museums and hospitals in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria were measured. The variables were regressed against the maximum length of humerus and all correlated positively. No significant difference in the mean value was found between bones and radiographs from these measurements. The differences in mean for all variables were seen to be significantly higher for males compared to females with the best predictor of length being the bi-epicondylar width. This finding is useful to anatomist, forensic anthropologist, archeologist and medico-legal cases for the identification of unknown body remains.