Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and disaster victim identification

Abstract

Radiography has been used for identification since 1927, and established a role in mass fatality investigations in 1949. More recently, postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) has been used for disaster victim identification (DVI). PMCT offers several advantages compared with fluoroscopy, plain film and dental X-rays, including: speed, reducing the number of on-site personnel and imaging modalities required, making it potentially more efficient. However, there are limitations that inhibit the international adoption of PMCT into routine practice. One particular problem is that due to the fact that forensic radiology is a relatively new sub-speciality, there are no internationally established standards for image acquisition, image interpretation and archiving. This is reflected by the current INTERPOL DVI form, which does not contain a PMCT section. The DVI working group of the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging supports the use of imaging in mass fatality response and has published positional statements in this area. This review will discuss forensic radiology, PMCT, and its role in disaster victim identification.

Disaster victim identification operations with fragmented, burnt, or commingled remains: experience-based recommendations

“…The initial examination should be undertaken by a forensic pathologist and a forensic anthropologist. A combination of imaging and physical inspection has proven to be of considerable value [28][29][30]. Ideally, the contents of the body bag should also be photographed.…”

Forensic odontology identification response to terrorist attacks in Paris November 2015

“…Indeed, it is a posteriori possible to perform any mulitplanar or sagittal oblique reconstruction mimicking any AM radiological data. This flexibility in the manipulation of the images confers a dynamic view to the examination but not a static view as could be a 2 D intra-oral radiographs in the sense that we can navigate within the arches and confirm or refute a hypothesis comparison [8][9][10][11]. At the Legal and Forensic Medicine Institute of Paris, the room to perform odontological identification operations on two or three bodies at the same time is near the medical CT scan.…”

An algorithm for automatically generating gas, bone and foreign body visualizations from postmortem computed tomography data

“…In terms of intracorporeal gas, it is possible to differentiate between (physiological) decompositional gas, (vital) emphysema and (potentially lethal) gas embolism [ 3 ]. It can also contribute to the identification of unknown persons via medical implants and devices or dental records [ 4 ]. Additionally, the stored CT data can be evaluated repeatedly (in contrast to autopsy) with different objectives that may arise during forensic investigations even days and/or months after the initial event [ 5 ].…”