Population affinity assessment in a brazilian sample: Exploring feasibility through cone-beam computed tomography scans

Abstract

The multicultural history and multiethnicity in Brazil give rise to diverse populational groups, necessitating a careful craniometric analysis for population affinity estimation. Forensic anthropology software, including CRANID, COLIPR, 3D-ID, and FORDISC, aids in population affinity (PA) estimation through ancestral and forest algorithms. In 2015, AncesTrees was introduced, utilizing 30 cranial measurements, and employing two distinct algorithms to classify a skull's potential PA. In digital examinations such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), not the entire skull is captured due to the Field of View (FOV), raising questions about its suitability for these algorithms. This study aims to examine the PA of a Brazilian sample and explore the feasibility of conducting this assessment on CBCT images. An anonymized sample of 100 CBCT scans was analyzed in the Blender® software, using 16 measurements among the 30 available in AncesTrees. The data were tabulated and input into the software, utilizing both algorithms and restricting PAs to European, African, and Amerindian when using the ancestralForest, based on previous articles. Most skulls were classified as European with the tournamentForest algorithm (42%) and as African with the ancestralForest algorithm (56%). However, in the former, there was a considerable number of skulls considered Polynesian (56%), which is unlikely. Among the sample, the predominant population was European. This study validates the use of tomographic images for PA estimation through AncesTrees and highlights the miscegenation in the Brazilian population.