The evolution of virtual technology to the present day is signified by the multislice three-dimension (3D) rendered CT scanning that is readily available to most forensic anthropologists, especially those attached to forensic mortuaries. Biological profiling from the anthropological approach comprises of data such as sex (male and female), ancestry or geographical origin (Negroid, Caucasian and Mongoloid), skeletal age and stature estimations (Linda, 2006). Living stature is defined as the maximum height attained during one’s lifetime (Megan and Ann, 2013, Wiley, 2016). Living stature may possibly be predictable only after sex, ancestry and age have been assessed due to the varying levels of growth, sexual dimorphism, skeletal degeneration and population variation (Megan and Ann, 2013, Wiley, 2016).
Stature estimation was first conducted during the middle of the eighteenth century by Jean-Joseph Sue. It was further developed by Carl Pearson (Megan and Ann, 2013). Estimating stature can be essential for individuation in mass disasters and forensic cases (Özaslan et al., 2003). Both whole-skeleton and whole-limb-bone methods are usually utilised for stature estimation (Wiley, 2016). Nonetheless, one problem with those methods is that the requisite complete bones may be absent. The solution to the problem is to estimate the length of the present fragmented parts such as the limb bone or vertebral column by applying a regression formula (Megan and Ann, 2013, Wiley, 2016).
Stature estimation is normally calculated using the length of long bones, especially the lower limbs (Wiley, 2016). Since the early 1980s, regression formulae have been calculated for estimating stature directly from other skeleton parts such as cranium, sternum, vertebrae, clavicle, scapula, sacrum, pelvis, hand and foot bones (Wiley, 2016). As a part of the human appendicular skeletal system, the pelvic girdle (hip girdle) consists of the paired hip or pelvic bones (os coxae) connected anteriorly at the pubic symphysis through the cartilaginous element (Standring, 2015). The pelvic girdle is connected posteriorly with the sacrum to form the pelvis.
Pelvic shape score is significantly associated and correlated with stature for both sexes according to the Hamann-Todd collection (Barbara and Philipp, 2015). This correlation is nonetheless better for males compared to females. This statement is also applicable to sacrum height (Torimitsu et al., 2015, Barbara and Philipp, 2015, Pelin et al., 2005). A few studies on sacrum height used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) images to estimate total body height (Hakki et al., 2011, Pelin et al., 2005, Torimitsu et al., 2014). Males’ sacrum height (SH) was also found to be significantly higher than females’ (Hakki et al., 2011, Torimitsu et al., 2014). The correlation between sacral height and stature is significant in males only with the regression equation [stature = (0.306 × SH) + 137.9] (Hakki et al., 2011). Although Torimitsu et al. (2014) reported a positive correlation in both sexes, all mentioned studies demonstrated comparatively moderate regression coefficients ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 only.
Multiple regression equations can be formed from several parameters to improve the regression coefficient (Pelin et al., 2005). Despite the numerous stature equations that have been developed for populations around the world, these equations cannot be applied to the Malaysian population as regression formulae are generally population-specific. Hence, there is always the need for additional population-specific reference data using mathematical methods and regression theory. As such, this study aims to correlate the sacral morphometric with stature based on sex and ancestry for the Malaysian population.