Human identification from the ankle with pre- and postsurgical radiographs

Dean, Dorothy E.; Tatarek, Nancy E.; Rich, Jeremy; Brogdon, B. G.; Powers, Robert H.

doi:10.1016/j.jcfm.2004.06.001

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…While much research has been performed to validate the uniqueness of osseous structures for radiographic positive identification (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15), this study is innovative due to its focus on surgical implants. Rather than researching lot numbers or orthopedic devices, such as hip or knee replacements, which are not unique to a decedent (16,17), this study focused on hand-tied wires.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This research follows numerous other radiographic studies that have analyzed the scapula, hyoid, hand, chest, frontal sinuses, vertebrae, clavicles, maxillary sinuses, ankle, and orthopedic surgical devices to identify human remains . While previous studies have tested the reliability of surgically implanted devices, these findings have focused on the type of device, such as hip implants and plates/screws related to fracture repair , or the manufacturer and lot number .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The forensic utility of sternotomy wires lies in their ability to limit the infinite number of potential positive matches to only those individuals who have sternotomy wires present at death. This research follows numerous other radiographic studies that have analyzed the scapula, hyoid, hand, chest, frontal sinuses, vertebrae, clavicles, maxillary sinuses, ankle, and orthopedic surgical devices to identify human remains (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). While previous studies have tested the reliability of surgically implanted devices, these findings have focused on the type of device, such as hip implants and plates/screws related to fracture repair (16), or the manufacturer and lot number (17).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,

Fleischman

2014

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Forensic anthropologists are regularly asked to assist with the identification of unknown individuals using comparative medical radiography. This study addressed the use of midline medical sternotomy wires as a means for personal identification. Antemortem and postmortem radiographic comparisons were completed by 46 professional forensic anthropologists and anthropology graduate students familiar with comparative medical radiography as a technique for assessing identification. Participants were asked to make five radiographic matches from a pool of 20 radiographs. Participants also completed an anonymous survey detailing their education level and experience making radiographic comparisons. Participants were 99.5% accurate in matching the radiographs. Sensitivity was 98.7%, and specificity was 99.7%. Logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant differences in the participants' ability to make a correct match. As the high accuracy rates indicate, the shape, size, and various characteristics of the sternotomy wires are individualizing and can confidently be used when assisting with personal identification cases.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,

Fleischman

2014

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…Come per gli altri distretti scheletrici citati sopra, i consulenti possono adottare un approccio qualitativo (o visivo) e quantitativo. Un esempio di analisi qualitativa delle caratteristiche scheletriche è fornito da Dean et al [34], che simularono un confronto fra materiale AM e PM fi ttizio utilizzando lastre radiografi che pre-e post-chirurgiche di anca, con un risultati positivi [34]. Per quanto riguarda il disegno trabecolare osseo, esempi di approccio sia quantitativo che qualitativo sono presenti in letteratura [3,4,35].…”

Section: Thoraxunclassified

“…As for the other districts cited above, experts adopt both a quantitative and a qualitative, or visual, approach. An example of morphological analysis of bone features in the identifi cation process is given by Dean et al, who by simulating a comparison between fi ctitious antemortem and postmortem material using pre-and postsurgical radiographs of the ankle succeeded in achieving a positive identifi cation [34]. Concerning bone trabecular pattern, both quantitative and qualitative approaches are found in the literature [3,4,35].…”

Section: Arms and Legsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic radiology and personal identification of unidentified bodies: a review

2011

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Personal identification of unidentified bodies is crucial for ethical, juridical and civil reasons and is performed through comparison between biological data obtained from the cadaver and antemortem material from one or more missing persons to whom the body may have belonged in life. The increasing applications of forensic radiology and the wide use of conventional radiography and computed tomography (CT) in routine clinical practice demonstrate the potential of these technologies as tools for verifying the correspondence between an unidentified body and an identity suspect. This paper reviews the literature concerning the application of forensic radiology to the difficult issue of personal identification. Despite the increasing importance of the comparison between radiographic and CT findings, numerous limitations still need to be overcome, including the fact that few forensic centres have access to sophisticated X-ray technologies and that the reliability of those technologies for detecting specific morphological traits and bone lesions is a matter of intense debate. In addition, as with other morphological methods for identification, comparisons between antemortem and postmortem data require standardisation and statistical analysis, especially in Europe where there are very few indications concerning the admission in court of evidence obtained by anthropological and radiological methods. In the future, with developments in radiographic technologies and increasing numbers of studies on their application to the forensic setting, radiology will become one of the most useful tools in the field of personal identification.

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Identification of Human Remains

Cattaneo

Porta

Angelis

2009

Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science

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Once there is a suspicion of identity—in other words, we think we know whom the skeleton belonged to—definite positive identification can be performed by DNA analysis, by odontological methods, and also by forensic anthropology via the comparison of bone shape. This may be done, for example, by comparing the shape of specific bones visible in an antemortem X ray of the missing person with the same bones visible in a postmortem X ray of the skeleton. The most popular areas for this type of comparison are the frontal sinuses and the vertebrae, although every skeletal area can be compared. There is, however, no unanimous indication on which and how many characters are necessary in order to achieve personal identification, so some subjectivity still exists. The recurrence of discordant characters settles the case, by excluding the identity; the occurrence of several concordant characters, commonly observed within the population, does not allow one to express a final judgment on identification, whereas even a few characters rarely observed can lead to a personal identification. Craniofacial superimposition may also be performed, though it is much less reliable. Fingerprint analysis may provide a correct identification of human remains if the subject has a criminal record and can be restored even in cases of advanced decomposition.

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Human identification from the ankle with pre- and postsurgical radiographs

Cited by 14 publications

References 10 publications

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,

Forensic radiology and personal identification of unidentified bodies: a review

Identification of Human Remains

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Human identification from the ankle with pre- and postsurgical radiographs

Cited by 14 publications

References 10 publications

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires,

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires,

Forensic radiology and personal identification of unidentified bodies: a review

Identification of Human Remains

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Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,

Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires^,