L'intérêt des caractères discrets en identification médicolégale

Expertise in forensic anthropology, biological profile is determined: age, sex and stature. However, several individuals may share the same profile. Utilization of discrete traits can be a good tool to complete the profile and help to identify. The method is based on ante and postmortem radiographs comparison. Discrete traits are anatomic elements, no continuous, distributed throughout the skeleton and asymptomatic for most of them. In this article, 12 discrete variants are described: complete metopism, foramina parietalia permagna, spina bifida occulta of sacrum, sternal foramen, sternal cleft, bifid/cervical/lumbar ribs, supracondylar process, third trochanter, dorsal defect of the patella and bipartite patella. All of these anatomical variations are a frequency under 10% and are easily visible in radiography. Frequencies vary contingent on population, sex, age and side. It is important to know them, not to be confused with pathologic signs. In prospect, all discrete variants can be used to positive identification will be described.