Forensic Imaging最新文献

Background

Three-dimensional (3D) documentation of crime and crash scenes is common practice during forensic and medicolegal investigations. Such documentation at a scene is usually carried out by specially trained personnel using various 3D imaging devices and methods, such as terrestrial laser scanners. Unfortunately, this causes the implementation of 3D documentation at the scenes to be expensive and not readily accessible. In 2020, Apple introduced a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor into their high-end mobile devices. In 2022, Recon-3D, an iOS application (app), was launched. This app turns an iPhone or iPad into a 3D scanner and is specifically targeted at crime and crash scene applications.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to test the Recon-3D app based on exemplary scenarios to see whether this technology is generally applicable to document crime or crash scenes.

Materials and Methods

An iPhone 13 Pro in combination with the Recon-3D app was used to document two indoor scenarios, a mock-up crime scene and a garage, as well as an outdoor scenario of a parked car. Each scenario was documented multiple times.

Results

On average, data acquisition for one scene took less than 2 min. Known distances within the scenes were measured with a mean absolute error of 0.22 cm and a standard deviation of 0.18 cm.

Conclusion

The imaging workflow was simple and quick, enabling any person to perform 3D documentation at a crime or crash scene. Overall, Recon-3D appeared to be a useful application for forensic investigators.

Background

This study presents the incidental finding of Paget's disease within archaeological skeletal remains using radiography. The remains of a late medieval (14^th-15^th century AD) adult male were excavated in 2017 from St Albans Monks’ Graveyard, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Upon visual inspection the skeleton exhibited widespread changes suggestive of Paget's disease which prompted the radiographic investigation. The resultant imaging demonstrated an expanded bone and coarse trabecular patterns characteristic of the pathology.

Discussion

Forensic radiography provides valuable information for the reconstruction of biological profiles of the deceased for victim identification. Characteristic medical conditions such as Paget's disease aid identification by excluding unaffected persons, as the pathology exhibits a higher prevalence among British white males of advanced age. This example, although archaeological in origin, illustrates how data available from human skeletal remains can be leveraged through radiographic imaging to glean biographical information which might otherwise be unavailable. In the presence of fragmentary skeletal remains, and the absence of DNA profiling, pathologies with characteristic radiographic appearances could be of forensic significance.

Conclusion

This example demonstrates the radiographic appearances of Paget's disease on fragmentary skeletal remains which may aid victim identification efforts. Consideration must be given to the limitations of Paget's disease including anthropological estimations and the potential for alternative diagnoses. Lastly, radiography may offer an accurate, permanent record of the deceased as secondary evidence for identification efforts.

The herniation of lungs into the deep neck space should be considered as a particular sign of possible crush injury or severe chest compression, particularly in presence of other injuries indicating that possibility such as multiple rib fractures. This report details a case of severe chest compression in a pedestrian by a heavily loaded truck. Generally, cervical lung herniation is relatively rare; most instances of lung herniation tend to be thoracic (not diaphragmatic or cervical).

Odontology is one of the primary means for human identification. As common components of dental practice, intraoral radiographs represent an important source of antemortem (AM) data. Interpretation of these radiographs, however, may vary between forensic odontologists. The aim of this study was to investigate experts’ opinions on the interpretation of dental identifiers from intraoral radiographs. A web-based survey was distributed to international forensic odontologists. The survey included simulated cases of human identification and questions related to the use of intraoral radiographs in dental identification. Each case required the visual radiographic comparison of one AM and one postmortem (PM) intraoral radiograph. Further questions were related to the importance of different parameters that can be examined through intraoral radiographs, such as morphological, therapeutic, and pathological features; while final questions were asked about the methods used for comparative dental analysis. The survey was answered by 57 forensic odontologists across the world. The simulated case that involved therapeutic features (dental restorations) was positively identified by 56 participants (98%), while the case without therapeutic identifiers was identified only by 14 participants (24%). Almost half (54%) of the participants mentioned therapeutic features as the best (when available) for comparative human identification, followed by morphological features. The use of comparative methods for radiographic analysis was mentioned by 18 participants (32%). Intraoral radiographs enabled the analysis of dental and non-dental features – that can be therapeutic, morphological, and pathological. Specifically, therapeutic features allow a more straightforward comparison, while morphological comparisons require detailed visualization, and knowledge of anatomic structures and their variations.

Objectives

To review the recent facial soft tissue thickness literature (2018-22) to determine if authors are currently adhering to standardised cephalometric landmarks and nomenclature, thereby supporting best scientific practices.

Materials and Methods

Facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT) studies published between 2018 – 2022 were identified using Google Scholar with the search phrase: facial AND soft tissue AND thickness AND craniofacial AND identification AND/OR forensic. Twenty-three resulting papers were reviewed for their landmark content.

Results

Across the 23 studies, a mean of 12 common landmarks were measured from a maximum set of 36 (mean = 19). Twenty of 23 papers used at least one non-standardised or novel landmark. This included studies that awarded standard landmark names, but whose definition(s) diverged from standards. Other novelties included non-standard use of landmark abbreviations (e.g., description of only one landmark for what is in fact cephalometric pairs of landmarks), confusion of proximally located landmarks with one another, departure from pre-existing technical terminology to imprecise lay vocabulary, and entirely new landmark formulations.

Conclusions

Despite prior calls to the importance of standardisation in FSTT research, recent literature continues to exhibit broad departures from established standards. While novel landmarks provide highly valuable information, in any study, they should supplement a minimum set of standard landmarks so that cross-comparisons between studies using identically collected measurements are possible. Future FSTT research should award greater attention to including and meeting established FSTT cephalometric standards.

Forensic imaging studies were used to supplement the postmortem examination of a poodle-type dog that died of an unknown cause in an animal crime investigation. The carcass was powdered and the neck was twisted to the left. At the death scene, the police felt crepitation while moving the carcass to the autopsy room. They wondered whether the ribs and cervical bones of the carcass had been broken. Conventional X-rays revealed air pockets along the trachea and also an abundance of air in the subcutaneous tissue and body cavities. Three-dimensional volume-rendered images created from postmortem computed tomography confirmed that the hyoid bone, cervical vertebrae, and ribs were all intact. The findings during the autopsy were focally extensive intradermal and intramuscular hemorrhages and bruises on the right side of the body, tracheal rupture, and substantial brain congestion and edema. The results of the imaging and autopsy findings referred to asphyxiation and hypoxic ischemic stroke in the manner of death caused by blunt force trauma to the neck. During the police inquiry, the accused confessed to strangling the dog with her bare hands.

In human forensic medicine, post mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) is routinely utilised in investigations with known superiority for the detection of musculoskeletal and vascular pathology compared to necropsy. In veterinary medicine, there is currently no published PMCTA technique for dogs and cats that is repeatable and can be routinely performed in a referral veterinary hospital. The aim of this study was to develop a veterinary PMCTA protocol that was easy to perform, affordable and requires little additional equipment beyond what is found in a referral veterinary hospital.

This study shows PMCTA can be performed using iohexol mixed with a polyethylene glycol adjuvant and administered via a power pump injector and was successfully demonstrated in 5 dogs and 7 cats.

The cause of death determined from necropsy and PMCTA agreed in 83% of cases and 42%, the cause of death determined on PMCTA was aided by the administration of contrast. PMCTA outperformed necropsy in the detection of neurological and musculoskeletal pathology, detecting 3.3 times more pathologies. The establishment of an easy-to-perform and affordable PMCTA protocol gives scope for PMCTA use to become widespread in veterinary post mortem investigations, improving the efficiency of post-mortem evaluation.

Objective

Archeological excavations in the area of the “Parco archeologico di Ostia antica” uncovered human remains requiring radiological insight to clarify the etiology of multiple morphological alterations. The purpose of this paper was to analyze CT findings of the remains, to push forward the contribution of CT in anthropological analysis.

Materials and methods

We examined human remains belonging to four different individuals, coming from different chronological horizons, ranging from the Roman Imperial Age (cases 1, 2 and 4) to the Middle Age (case 3). Bone remains of each individual underwent CT scan separately using a 268-slice scanner (GE, medical system, revolution CT).

Results

CT findings added value in reaching effective hypotheses on the origin of bone alterations and on biological aspects of the examined individuals. In three out of four cases the radiological hypotheses corresponded to the anthropological ones (cases 1, 3 and 4), with better resolution of the inner alterations of bones which strengthened the initial hypothesis. In one case (case 2), CT imaging proposed an alternative hypothesis (i.e., osteomyelitis versus osteosarcoma).

Conclusion

CT highlights internal alterations in a non-invasive manner, exposing hypotheses that are not evident or that can be underestimated from an external examination. Hence, this imaging modality may be used as a valuable tool to study archaeological remains and to detect a wide variety of pathologies, including trauma, infections, arthropathies and neoplasms, in the context of a multidisciplinary approach to archeological investigations.