INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The sexual differences noticed in the pelvis are of interest to anatomist, gynaecologist, and even anthropologist. The extent of sex determination is so important to females with narrow cavity which find it more difficult to deliver babies naturally than those with wide pelvic cavity. The growth of the pelvis is in the width resulting to wide pelvic inlets as such, study will determine the sex difference using the ischiopubic measurement (index) of patients’ radiograph with no pathological abnormalities and fractures.
The ischiopubic index is the measurement of the distance between the triradiate cartilage (acetabulum) and the pubic tubercle of the pelvic bone divided by the distance between the triradiate cartilage (acetabulum) and the ischial tuberosity of the pelvic bone, multiplied by hundred according to (Shultz A.H. and Adolph H(24)
.). The function of the bony pelvic is to transfer the weight of the upper body from the axial to the lower appendicular skeleton and to withstand compression and other forces resulting from its support of body weight, and it also provides attachments for powerful muscles, suchas, the levator ani muscles which consist of the iliococcygeus,pubococcygeus and coccygeus muscles.The importance of ischiopubic index in obstetrics can not be over emphasized. It has been observed that the size of the ischiopubic index determines the size of the birth canal, which is an important criterion in vaginal delivery.
However, most of the techniques for sexing pelvic bones currently in use in forensic osteology were developed on large sample sizes of archeological provenance where accuracy in sexing of about 85% was considered reasonable. This means that about one in every seven individuals would be incorrectly assigned which, in a forensic situation, is not acceptable.
Other commonly used pelvic indicators of sex are the so called “scars of parturition” thought to be indications that an individual was female and had borne children. Some authors even went as far as declaring that the number of pubic pits could reflect the parity of the individual. They include the presence of a deep pre-ocular sulcus, pitting on the dorsal aspect of the pubic body and extension of the pubic tubercle. All these factors have been extensively investigated, and whilst their presence is more common in females, they are not as sex definitive as first claimed. In fact, it was reported that pubic pitting was more likely to be associated with age at death than obstetric event, and as such obstetricians would find it more easier by using radiographs which appear more accurate in estimation of sex differences rather than the use of adult skeleton in sex determination and subsequent methods for age and stature estimation are sex-dependent.
But the reliability of sex determination depends on the completeness of the remains of skeleton and the degree of sexual dimorphism inherent in the population, but it is generally accepted that the two most sexually dimorphic elements of the skeletal structure are the pelvis and the skull. The sacroiliac joint and surrounding area have been found to exhibit sexual dimorphism mainly due to it’s role in locomotion, weight bearing, and transfer capabilities(Ali and Maclanghlin(1)
.Nevertheless, this project which is a retrospective study is carried out by taking measurements of ischiopubic length index from dry x-ray films of both males and females, taken with conventional radiography at University of NigeriaTeaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, ParklaneEnugu, andthe National OrthopedicsHospital, Enugu. The measurements obtained are antero-posterior (AP) films. The accurate determination of sex and race are important to forensic scientists and physical anthropologists. Thus, this study is important as it has provided the necessary data for the Nigerian populations under investigation.
This research project consists of five chapters. Chapter one states the background of study, statement of problem, objective of study, significance of study, scope of study, and review of related literatures. While chapter two entails the anatomy of the pelvis and radiographic conditions. And chapter three presents the research methodology with. Chapter four entails data presentation and analysis, while chapter five deals on summary of findings, discussion and conclusion.
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Objective of Study
1.4 Significance of Study
1.5 Scope of Study
This research study was carried out by using adult pelvis radiographs of different patients of different age groups within the range of 18-70 years belonging to the Radiology Departments of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, and National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu.
Information was obtained from patients’ pelvic radiographs which were taken as conventional radiography at a routine distance of 100cm anode distance with the patient in antero-posterior position (AP). All radiographs were free from pathological changes.
1.6 Limitation of Study
The researcher was faced with financial constraint, coupled with the time frame of the research, as such not giving the research study an efficient work.