Skull Sutures: Radiographic Contour of Wormian Bone as an Individualising Epigenetic Marker

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Abstract
Antemortem radiographic records are known to be more valuable than photographs in individualising skulls since the eventual identification is based on stable bony traits. A non-metric cranial trait exhibiting a great deal of morphogenetic variation—lambdridal wormian bone—seen in antemortem radiographic records was looked upon in this paper as an epigenetic marker providing positive forensic identification of the skull. The proposition is supported by an illustrative case. Contrasting the prevailing notion that endocranial sutures are patternless, it was found that the intracranial sutures in preadolescent growth period exhibit patterns. Further, it is indicated that the influence of endocranial sutures in wormian bone contour and other ectocranial suturai patterns seen in a preadolescent skull radiograph has to be noted while comparing such radiographic patterns with suture patterns seen in adult skulls.

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