Abstract: The purpose of this research was to observe and record characteristics of the frontal sinus in a southern Chinese Han population, and to apply this population data to the fields of forensic anthropology and forensic radiology. A total of nine aspects of the sinus that included 22 characteristic indices were observed and recorded. These frontal sinus indices were scored by a series of digital codes whose diversities and discrimination probabilities ranged from 0.46861 to 0.91120. The cumulative diversity and discrimination probabilities of these 22 indices were 0.9999999999988, with the match probability being 1.18366×10^-12, a result of more than 7.5 ×10^11possible combinations. It was noted that all 22 characteristic indices were variable to each individual, and that they were strong markers for personal identification of the frontal sinus. It was also noted that these characteristic indices and this identification method developed in this study show excellent discrimination probabilities.

Key words: Forensic medicine; Frontal sinus; Discrimination