HOW USEFUL ARE THE PARANASAL SINUSES FOR HUMAN IDENTIFICATION?

Abstract

The paranasal sinuses have long attracted anatomical and clinical interest due to their complex morphology, variable development, and intimate relationship with craniofacial structures. Historically described since the Renaissance, these air-filled cavities have progressively gained relevance in forensic sciences, particularly in human identification. The present opinion paper addresses the topic substantiating and reinforcing the usefulness of the paranasal sinuses as tools for comparative and reconstructive human identification. More specifically, the developmental, anatomical, and radiological characteristics of the maxillary, frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid sinuses are approached with emphasis on forensic analysis. Current evidence regarding their morphological and morphometric assessment is summarized to highlight that the vast literature available about the forensic applicability of the paranasal sinuses endorses these structures for comparative human identification of single cases, given their highly distinctive morphology, while for reconstructive procedures, such as sex and age estimation the paranasal sinuses, more specifically the frontal and maxillary sinuses, have been considered potential adjuvant tools, especially when other more reliable anthropological parameters are not available.