ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate sexual differences using demarking point and index of sexual dimorphism from the length of talus in relation to age among male and female north-eastern Nigerians. Study Design: Retrospective Study. Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Human Anatomy and Radiology, University of Maiduguri and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) respectively, Borno State, Nigeria between October 2010 to March 2012. Methodology: Three hundred and twelve (312) radiographs of adult north-eastern Nigerians (156 males and 156 females) with ages ranged from 20 to 69 years were measured. Radiographs used for this study were obtained from the collection of records unit of Radiology Department of UMTH in Borno State, Nigeria. Radiographic viewing box, erasable maker, meter rule were used for the measurements. Both female and male samples were grouped into two separate subsamples (right and left talus). Samples were classified into five (5) age groups which spanned ten years interval. The lateral views of the plain radiographs of the ankle were mounted on viewing box connected to a light source which gave good illumination. Antero-posterior length (APL) of the talus was measured as a linear distance between the most anterior point on the head of talus and the most posterior point on the body of the talus) using a calibrated meter rule. Results: The means of APL for males are all significantly greater than their female counterparts of the same age group. The results also show statistically significant (p<0.001) differences between the lengths of talus in males and females. The values of demarking points (DP) in males were higher than in females. The Index of sexual dimorphisms (ISDs) are greater than 100 which suggest that males have higher value over female counterparts. The result also show age related variation with male APL range from 5.82 cm at 60-69 years age group to 6.21 cm at 30-39 years age group; while female APL range from 5.27 cm at 60-69 years age group to 5.56 cm at 30-39 years age group. Conclusion: It was observed that the APLs of talus are sexually dimorphic; the DPs of male are all higher than those of female Counterparts. ISD also shows that, male APLs are greater than those of the female counterparts: because the ISDs were all greater than 100 at all age groups. However more studies are required in other part of Nigeria, so as to capture the racial variation of Nigeria.