RESUMO
The right 4th cartilages of 116 Egyptian cadavers [82 males and 34 females, mean age = 41 +/- 19] were examined radiographically to elucidate the sex differences in the pattern of calcification. The study showed 2 patterns of calcification which were either marginal or central. The marginal pattern was observed in 45.1% of the male specimens and 5.9% of the female specimens with predictive value for male sex equal to 94.9%, while the central calcification pattern was observed in 47.1% of the female specimens with 100% predictive value of female sex. The samples were divided into 3 groups; young group [age < 30 years], old [>/ 30 years] and total [combined] group. Direct osteometric measurements including superior-inferior [SI] height and anterior-posterior [AP] breadth were obtained from the sternal end of the right fourth rib and analyzed by means of stepwise discrimination function analysis. It was found that the accuracy sex determination varied from 58.93% [51.4% and 73.7% for males and females, respectively] in the young to 87.5% [90.9% and 80% in males and females, respectively] in the old group and 79.81% [74.3% and 91.2% for males and females, respectively] in the combined total group