The use of computerized tomography in determining stature and sex from metatarsal bones

•Scan measurements of metatarsal bones to estimation stature.•Scan measurements of metatarsal in live volunteers.•Regression equations permit calculation of stature in a Portuguese population.•A new method in sex determination using the general linear model.

This study evaluates the efficacy of a radiological method to estimate stature from measurements of the first and second metatarsal taken from a collection of metatarsals of a Portuguese Caucasian population in which the measurements were made directly on the bone. The highest coefficient of determination and the lowest standard error were obtained with the physiological length of the second metatarsal (F2), using the equation S = 895.4803 + 10.7848F2. The linear regressions obtained show significant differences between the estimated heights from M1. In addition, we offer a simple method for sex determination based on the maximum length (M1) and width (W1) of the first metatarsal, where W1 = x1; (M1/W1) = x2; β0 = 55.4767; β1 = −2.5796 and β2 = −4.6898. Here we present a method of measurement using computerized tomography that enables population studies using live volunteers without incurring the difficulties of on the bone measurement.