International Journal of Legal Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of cardiac biomarker \"point-of-care\" testing as postmortem diagnostic tool.","authors":"Jan Michael Federspiel, Mattias Kettner, Stefan Potente, Sara Heinbuch, Constantin Lux, Marcel A Verhoff, Frank Ramsthaler","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03517-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03517-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In cardiac death, some entities, such as arrhythmia or nonocclusive myocardial ischemia, are not associated with clear and certain macroscopic surrogates of cardiac death. Cardiac biomarker point-of-care testing (POCT) seems suitable for further improving postmortem diagnostics in legal medicine casework. Considering the preanalytic phase, the present study aims to define criteria for blood samples suitable for POCT and assess the diagnostic performance of postmortem cardiac biomarker POCT. A fluorescent immunoassay device was used. The biomarkers assessed were myoglobin, brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal proBNP, creatine kinase muscle-brain type, and cardiac troponin I. Blood was obtained from the intrapericardial inferior vena cava. In a prestudy, criteria for the selection of blood samples were established and the biomarker stability over time, test reliability and reproducibility of postmortem cardiac biomarker analyses were assessed. Afterward, blood samples from 150 autopsied individuals were evaluated for their diagnostic performance and compared with findings from autopsy as the postmortem diagnostic gold standard. In doing so, the assessed biomarkers provided valid and reproducible results. Cardiac troponin I yielded the highest sensitivity for detecting cardiac death, whereas BNP had the highest specificity and positive predictive value for detecting cardiac death. Markers of myocardial damage had better negative than positive predictive value. NT-proBNP and BNP POCT seem applicable to support diagnosis of death associated with congestive heart failure. Postmortem cardiac biomarker POCT results need to be interpreted in conjunction with all available information, i.e., autopsy findings, medical history, investigatory results, and other test results.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144173772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CT of the medial clavicular epiphysis for forensic age estimation - raised arms position recommended.","authors":"Saskia C Kuhnen, Martin Müller, Andreas Schmeling, Wolf-Dieter Zech, Jeremias B Klaus, Paolo Lombardo, Michael Ith, Rainer J Egli, Thomas D Ruder","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03521-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03521-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare the effect of arm positioning on radiation dose, scan length, and image noise in computed tomography (CT) scans of the medial clavicular epiphysis for forensic age estimation performed with the arms alongside the body (arms-down) versus elevated above the head (arms-up).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty consecutive CT scans were analysed, ten performed with arms-down and ten with arms-up. The scans were conducted at 120 kVp and 37 mAs reference tube current. Scan length extended from 10 mm above to 10 mm below the medial clavicular epiphysis. Dose-relevant parameters (effective CT tube current, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), CT dose length product (DLP), and effective dose) as well as scan length and image noise were compared between arms-up and arms-down CT scans.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Population characteristics: 19 males, 1 female; mean weight 65.8 ± 9.2 kg; height 174.6 ± 7.8 cm; and body mass index (BMI) 21.6 ± 2.5 kg/m². Dose-relevant parameters were significantly lower with arms-up compared to arms-down (effective tube current: 80.9 ± 21.7 mAs vs. 146.0 ± 47.5 mAs, p = 0.001; CTDIvol: 5.5 ± 1.5 mGy vs. 9.9 ± 3.2 mGy, p = 0.001; DLP: 40.2 ± 13.7 mGy*cm vs. 63.8 ± 21.9 mGy*cm, p = 0.010; effective dose: 0.6 ± 0.2 mSv vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 mSv, p = 0.010). No significant differences were found in scan length, image noise, or population characteristics.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Removing the arms from the CT beam path reduced radiation dose by 33% without affecting scan length or image noise. Given the importance of dose optimisation in non-medical examinations of potentially minor individuals, CT scans of the medial clavicular epiphysis should be performed with arms elevated above the head.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144173774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimation of postmortem interval under different ambient temperatures based on multi-organ metabolomics and machine learning algorithm.","authors":"Weihao Fan, Xinhua Dai, Yi Ye, Hongkun Yang, Yiming Sun, Jingting Wu, Yingqiang Fu, Kaiting Shi, Xiaogang Chen, Linchuan Liao","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03523-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03523-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In forensic practice, the estimation of postmortem interval has been a persistent challenge. Recently, there has been an increasing utilization of metabolomics techniques combined with machine learning methods for postmortem interval estimation. When examining metabolite changes from a global perspective, rather than relying on specific substance changes, estimating postmortem interval through machine learning methods is more precise and entails fewer errors. Prior studies have investigated the use of metabolomics to estimate postmortem interval. Nevertheless, most of them focused on analyzing the metabolomic properties of a single organ or biofluid concerning a specific temperature. In this study, we employ the GC-MS platform to identify metabolites in the liver, kidney, and quadriceps femoris muscle of mechanically suffocated Sprague Dawley rats at various temperatures. Multivariable statistical analysis was used to determine differential compounds from the original data. The machine learning method was used to establish models for the estimation of postmortem interval under various ambient temperatures. As indicated by the results, liver, kidney, and quadriceps femoris muscle samples were screened for 24, 18, and 19 differential metabolites respectively, associated with postmortem interval under various ambient temperatures. Based on the metabolites listed above, the support vector regression models were established by utilizing single-organ and multi-organ metabolomics data for postmortem interval estimation. The multi-organ model showed a higher estimation accuracy. Also, a comprehensive generalization postmortem interval estimation model was established with multi-organ metabolomics data and temperature variables, which can be used for the postmortem interval estimation within the temperature range of 5-35℃. These results demonstrate that a multi-organ model utilizing metabolomics techniques can accurately estimate the postmortem interval under various ambient temperatures. Meanwhile, this research establishes a strong foundation for the practical application of metabolomics in postmortem interval estimation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144150404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population affinity estimation in forensic anthropology: a South African perspective.","authors":"Thandolwethu Mbonani, Ericka L'Abbé, Ding-Geng Chen, Alison Ridel","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03529-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03529-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forensic anthropologists face the complex task of estimating population affinity from skeletal remains, a process that involves inferring culturally constructed \"social race\" from biological tissues, a challenge further complicated by the nuanced distinction between population affinity and \"race\". The difficulty in making these estimations arises from the complex interplay between social constructs of race, skeletal morphology, and geographic origin. These factors are further influenced by elements such as assortative mating and institutional racism in regions such as South Africa and the United States. The interaction between cultural factors and biological traits raises the question of whether the challenges in estimating population affinity are inevitable or due to a limited understanding of human variation. To address this knowledge gap, this paper presents a review of population affinity estimation in forensic anthropology, with a focus on the South African context. It provides foundational background and historical insights, explores the medico-legal significance of population affinity, and critically evaluates both traditional and emerging estimation methods. By highlighting regional challenges and recent advancements, this review aims to enhance understanding and contribute to ongoing debates in the field. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144142528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genital and anal injury in women after sexual assault: prevalence rates and associated risk factors in 294 cases.","authors":"Daniel Kane, James Walshe, Deirdra Richardson, Christine Pucillo, Wendy Ferguson, Sarah O Connor, Nicola Maher, Karen Flood, Maeve Eogan","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03522-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03522-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To investigate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, genito-anal injury in females who attended a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in a capital city following sexual assault.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>All females who underwent a genital and/or anal forensic examination between 1/1/2023 and 31/12/2023 were included. A standardised dataset of demographic and assault metrics was collated. Genito-anal injury data was contemporaneously collected by forensically trained specialist doctors and nurses using prescribed definitions and a standardised tool. Descriptive bivariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed on these data. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During the study period, 405 women accessed this SATU service of whom 294 (72.6%) underwent a forensic examination that included a genital and/or anal examination. The overall prevalence of genito-anal injury was 25.9% (n = 76/294), with those who reported completed vaginal penetration having a genito-anal injury prevalence rate of 31.1% (n = 65/209). Anal injury was observed in 20% (n = 8/40) of those who reported completed anal penetration. The most commonly injured genital site was the posterior fourchette (n = 29) followed by the fossa navicularis (n = 24) and the labia minora (n = 23), with the most common injury type being a laceration (n = 81) followed by an abrasion (n = 37). Genito-anal injury was significantly more likely to be present in women who disclosed a mental health history (OR1.94 CI1.11-3.39 p = 0.01), were certain that a sexual assault had taken place (OR2.91 CI1.31-6.45 p = 0.008), who disclosed genital bleeding after the incident (OR2.35 CI1.25-4.42 p = 0.007) and had extra-genital injuries (2.20 (1.27-3.80) p < 0.004). Absense of previous sexual activity (p = 0.39), menopausal status (p = 0.09), age (p = 0.64), assailant-survivor relationship (p = 0.07) or incident location (p = 0.17) did not have a significant association on the presence of genito-anal injury. Extra-genital/bodily injury was present in 53% (n = 156) of women who attended.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrates the prevalence and patterns of genital and anal injuries in women presenting to a single unit following sexual assault, and provides valuable insights into the nature and extent of harm experienced by survivors when consistent data collection tools are used. The study also highlights how frequently injury is absent, even when penetration is disclosed. These findings contribute to the body of evidence guiding forensic examination protocols and care strategies, as well as to the evidence base considered during detection and prosecution of sexual crime.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Automated identification of unknown decedents: matching postmortem CT images with clinical databases.","authors":"Andreas Heinrich, Michael Hubig, Ulf Teichgräber, Gita Mall","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03528-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03528-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The maxillary sinus plays an important role in the forensic identification of unknown deceased individuals. This study aimed to evaluate whether matching postmortem computed tomography (CT) images from virtual autopsies with antemortem CT examinations from a clinical database enables reliable identification using computer vision (CV) techniques. From ten virtual autopsies, CT images of the maxillary sinus were selected for comparison against 853 antemortem CT examinations from 738 individuals. A total of 60,255 antemortem CT slices underwent image processing, CV feature extraction, and were stored in an antemortem CV database. The number of matching points between CV features of the postmortem image and the antemortem reference image served as an indicator of identification accuracy. The identification rate was 50% (5/10) at rank 1 (with the sought identity having the highest number of matching points), 80% (8/10) at rank 2, and 100% (10/10) at rank 7 among the 738 potential identities. Challenges were observed when the antemortem reference CT examination depicted only parts of the maxillary sinus or when injuries were present. Additionally, postmortem imaging should closely replicate antemortem imaging standards to maximize the number of CV matching points. In conclusion, the findings suggest that it is feasible to identify individuals using postmortem CT images from virtual autopsies in combination with a clinical database. However, postmortem imaging should ideally adhere to clinical imaging standards to achieve more CV matching points for the sought identity with the antemortem reference.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genealogically bewildered individuals and forensic identification: a review of current and emerging solutions.","authors":"Hirak Ranjan Dash, Anubhuti Patel","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03513-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03513-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) with donor gametes is driven by rising infertility rates, delayed parenthood, and the need to prevent hereditary diseases. Greater social acceptance of diverse family structures, advancements in reproductive medicine, and improving success rates also contribute. Accessibility, affordability, and cross-border reproductive care further expand ART's reach, making donor gametes a preferred option for many individuals and couples worldwide. The widespread application of ART has led to an increasing number of donor-conceived individuals, many of whom are now reaching reproductive maturity. This demographic shift introduces significant challenges for traditional forensic genetic identification methods, which rely on biological reference samples from genetically related individuals. The absence of such samples complicates the identification process, particularly for individuals conceived via gamete donation or adoption, where biological and legal parentage are incongruent. Conventional forensic genetic analyses, including short tandem repeat (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiling of autosomal, Y-chromosome, X-chromosome, and mitochondrial DNA, exhibit limited efficacy in these scenarios. While these methods can sometimes identify individuals conceived using a single donor gamete, they are insufficient for cases involving dual donor gametes or mitochondrial replacement therapy. Emerging methodologies such as forensic genetic genealogy, DNA methylation profiling, and human microbiome analysis offer innovative approaches but necessitate further clinical validation and standardization.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cardiac-specific troponin-I (cTnI) in a post-mortem setting.","authors":"Ethan D Sutton, Sarah Parsons, Maria Pricone, Hans H de Boer","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03526-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03526-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiac-specific troponin (cTn) is widely used in clinical medicine to support a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Several studies have explored the value of cTn testing in deceased individuals. These studies suggest that -although there are important limitations associated with its use- post-mortem cTn can be useful in selected cases. A decision for post-mortem cTn testing should however be influenced by factors that have not been explored in much detail. This includes the success rate of post-mortem cTn testing, and whether cTn levels are stable after death.Therefore, this study addresses the post-mortem availability and stability of cardiac-specific Troponin I (cTnI). Post-mortem availability was determined by analysing the success rate in 250 high-sensitivity (hs-)cTnI tests on post-mortem blood samples, and its relationship with variables such as sample location, sample type, post-mortem interval, and decomposition. Post-mortem stability was explored by comparing post-mortem cTnI levels between two samples from the same individual, taken at different times.Post-mortem hs-cTnI tests were successful in 86.4% of cases (216/250), with little effect of sex, age, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Visible decomposition precluded a successful test. Other variables associated with decomposition (such as increased post-mortem interval) also affected test success negatively. Our results furthermore suggest that cTnI is very unstable post-mortem, with marked differences in hs-cTnI test results between samples from the same individual. The differences were large (on average 18734 ng/L) and not unidirectional. Instability appeared to increase with larger time intervals, but the results were overall erratic and difficult to interpret.We conclude that hs-cTnI testing results are generally available in a post-mortem setting, but that testing should be performed on the earliest available blood sample. Samples from decomposed individuals should not be tested. Furthermore, the severe instability of cTnI indicates that any post-mortem hs-cTnI result must be interpreted with caution.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation of pulmonary fat embolism with trauma and resuscitation in children.","authors":"Rosa Maria Martinez, Wolf Schweitzer, Michael Josef Thali, Akos Dobay, Stephan Andreas Bolliger","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03516-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03516-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aims to investigate the correlation between pulmonary fat embolism (PFE), blunt force trauma and the effects of resuscitation in pediatric fatalities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data for this study covered deaths of 57 children aged 0 to 10 years, which underwent full autopsy at the Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine from 2019 to 2023. Variables collected included anamnestic information on the presence of trauma (accidental, non-accidental), fracture and fatty tissue crushing extent, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - with and without intraosseous catheter - and the grade of pulmonary fat embolism (PFE) according to Falzi et al. RESULTS: The study analyzed 57 pediatric autopsy cases and found that PFE occurred more frequently in cases with both trauma and resuscitation, particularly when intraosseous catheters were used. Fat tissue crushing extent and fracture extent correlated with PFE development, while CPR alone did not. Notably, PFE could arise without fractures, likely due to fatty tissue crushing, and the highest PFE grades were observed in trauma cases with extensive fat crushing.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PFE can arise without fractures, likely from fatty tissue crushing alone. CPR with intraosseous catheters, correlated with moderate PFE (Falzi grade 2), but CPR alone did not strongly predict PFE in children.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An X-ray bone age assessment method for hands and wrists of adolescents in Western China based on feature fusion deep learning models.","authors":"Ya-Hui Wang, Hui-Ming Zhou, Lei Wan, Yu-Cheng Guo, Yuan-Zhe Li, Tai-Ang Liu, Jian-Xin Guo, Dan-Yang Li, Teng Chen","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03497-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03497-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The epiphyses of the hand and wrist serve as crucial indicators for assessing skeletal maturity in adolescents. This study aimed to develop a deep learning (DL) model for bone age (BA) assessment using hand and wrist X-ray images, addressing the challenge of classifying BA in adolescents. The results of this DL-based classification were then compared and analyzed with those obtained from manual assessment. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 688 hand and wrist X-ray images of adolescents aged 11.00-23.99 years from western China, which were randomly divided into training set, validation set and test set. The BA assessment results were initially analyzed and compared using four DL network models: InceptionV3, InceptionV3 + SE + Sex, InceptionV3 + Bilinear and InceptionV3 + Bilinear. + SE + Sex, to identify the DL model with the best classification performance. Subsequently, the results of the top-performing model were compared with those of manual classification. The study findings revealed that the InceptionV3 + Bilinear + SE + Sex model exhibited the best performance, achieving classification accuracies of 96.15% and 90.48% for the training and test set, respectively. Furthermore, based on the InceptionV3 + Bilinear + SE + Sex model, classification accuracies were calculated for four age groups (< 14.0 years, 14.0 years ≤ age < 16.0 years, 16.0 years ≤ age < 18.0 years, ≥ 18.0 years), with notable accuracies of 100% for the age groups 16.0 years ≤ age < 18.0 years and ≥ 18.0 years. The BA classification, utilizing the feature fusion DL network model, holds significant reference value for determining the age of criminal responsibility of adolescents, particularly at the critical legal age boundaries of 14.0, 16.0, and 18.0 years.</p>","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144119436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}