PubMed1994
The palmar prints of 902 medical students (732 male and 170 female) were analyzed according to the method of Cummins and Midlo, in an attempt to reveal a bilateral variance of palmar interdigital configurations within individuals. 1) No sex differences were observed in the frequency of true patterns in each interdigital area. The overall frequency of true patterns was highest in the fourth interdigital area (left 86.7%, right 70.8%) and decreased in the following order: the hypothenar area (left 25.6%, right 22.8%), the third interdigital area (left 12.1%, right 29.7%), the thenar/first interdigital area (left 14.6%, right 4.3%) and the second interdigital area (left 0.6%, right 1.2%). 2) Each palmar configurational area showed a different frequency of true patterns in the right and left hands. In the hypothenar area, the thenar/first interdigital area and the fourth interdigital area, true patterns were found most frequently on the left hand. On the other hand, true patterns were found most frequently on the right hand in the second interdigital area and the third interdigital area, especially the frequency of the loop pattern, which was 2.8 times higher in the left palm than in the right palm in males, and 2.5 times higher in females. 3) The frequency of students who had the same pattern type in both hands was highest in the second interdigital area (98.4%) and decreased in the following order: the thenar/first interdigital area (88.0%), the hypothenar area (77.9%), the third interdigital area (74.1%) and the fourth interdigital area (68.0%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)