Deciphering the elusive nature of sharp bone trauma using epifluorescence macroscopy: a comparison study multiplexing classical imaging approaches

Abstract

Characterization of sharp-force trauma on human bones can be extremely useful in providing information regarding the nature and context of death. Nevertheless, in the identification of weapons used to cause sharp-force trauma and analysis of bone wounds, challenging tasks still remain. Current analysis attempting to dissect bone wound characteristics varied quite a lot and mixed different criteria, thus leading sometimes to conflicting results. In this context, the aim of our study is to clarify qualitative aspects of cut marks induced by sharp weapons on human bones. For that purpose, we analyzed bone samples via an original approach based on bone autofluorescence with an epifluorescence macroscope and compared it to previous existing methods. In this study, we used bone sections from human clavicles on which three different kinds of lesions were manually implemented, using different weapons. The bone wounds were analyzed by three different methodologies, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-computed tomography, and were compared with epifluorescence macroscopy. We paid attention more significantly to the aspect of walls and floor of the kerf, so as to conclude on the nature and distinguish between weapons used. Among all technologies used in this study, the most precise and efficient methods were epifluorescence macroscopy and SEM. Nonetheless, epifluorescence macroscopy is faster, cheaper, and more accessible than SEM. More significantly, this technique, which has the potential to accurately document the nature of the damage, is nondestructive, and could thus be highly useful in forensic science as anthropology.

Study of Skeletal Remains: Solving a Homicide Case with Forensic Anthropology and Review of the Literature

“…In order to evaluate the accuracy of identification of different kinds of lesions, incisions and other marks due to particular tools, analysis like blind or comparative tests have been realized employing SEM, Micro CT-scan and Epifluorescence Macroscopy [15][16][17][18]. In particular, Epifluorescence Macroscopy supplied accurate information characterizing different kinds of tools and providing high resolution data with non-destructive three dimensional visualization of the sample [18,19]. Concurrently, the acquisition of a three dimensional shape of a lesion employing the 3D Optical Digitalizer had performed better results about measurement efficiency, with an error rate of 0.05 mm, and speed than SEM and CT systems.…”

Wounded to the bone: Digital microscopic analysis of traumas in a medieval mass grave assemblage (Sandbjerget, Denmark, AD 1300–1350)

“…The observation of striations was reported in some cases (Bromage and Boyde, 1984;Symes, 1998, Lyne andFaigrieve, 2009) but not in all (Ferllini, 2009;Kooi and Fairgrieve, 2013). However, the variety of damage easily observed by microscopy has been widely recognized (Alunni-Perret et al, 2008;Lewis, 2008;Capuani et al, 2013;Lyne and Fairgrieve, 2009;Ferllini, 2009;Kooi and Fairgrieve, 2013). Digital microscopy necessitates a small window for observing the injury, mainly focusing on the edges and so does not lend itself to exploration of the overall form of injuries.…”

Advantages of micro‐CT in the case of a complex dismemberment

“…Micro-CT has proven to be useful in forensic research in the areas of blunt force injuries [13], sharp force injuries [14][15][16], false start analysis [17][18][19][20], and ballistic analysis [21][22][23]. Case reports featuring this technology as part of live police investigations are limited with few notable exceptions in Baier and colleagues' work [24][25] on dismemberment and rib fractures, respectively.…”