Forensic Imaging最新文献

{"title":"Mendosal Suture Mimicking Skull Fracture in an Infant with Suspected Non-Accidental Injury: A Case Report","authors":"Jin-Haeng Heo , Heon Lee , Junghye Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200703","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200703","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Accessory sutures of the skull are uncommon anatomical variants that can mimic fractures, particularly in infants where ossification remains incomplete. Because these variants may resemble true fractures on both postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy examination, a clear understanding of normal anatomical variations is essential to avoid inappropriate medical decision-making or unnecessary treatment.</div></div><div>Accessory sutures of the skull are uncommon anatomical variants that can mimic fractures, particularly in infants where ossification remains incomplete. Because these variants may resemble true fractures on both postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy examination, a clear understanding of normal anatomical variations is essential to avoid inappropriate medical decision-making or unnecessary treatment.</div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We reviewed a case of a 6-month-old female infant who died following hospitalization for cardiac arrest. PMCT and subsequent forensic autopsy were performed, including detailed skull examination and correlation with intracranial findings.</div></div><div>We reviewed a case of a 6-month-old female infant who died following hospitalization for cardiac arrest. PMCT and subsequent forensic autopsy were performed, including detailed skull examination and correlation with intracranial findings.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>PMCT demonstrated a transverse linear lucency in the occipital bone accompanied by intracranial hemorrhage, a pattern that may raise concern for skull fracture in infant death investigations. At autopsy, the same linear structure was observed and similarly could be considered a fracture on gross examination. However, correlation with the anatomical configuration confirmed the structure to be an accessory occipital suture rather than a traumatic lesion. The intracranial hemorrhage was determined to be unrelated to this anatomical variant.</div></div><div>PMCT demonstrated a transverse linear lucency in the occipital bone accompanied by intracranial hemorrhage, a pattern that may raise concern for skull fracture in infant death investigations. At autopsy, the same linear structure was observed and similarly could be considered a fracture on gross examination. However, correlation with the anatomical configuration confirmed the structure to be an accessory occipital suture rather than a traumatic lesion. The intracranial hemorrhage was determined to be unrelated to this anatomical variant.</div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This case illustrates that accessory sutures can closely mimic skull fractures on both CT imaging and autopsy examination, particularly in infants. Awareness of these normal anatomical variants, and the use of adjunctive techniques such as 3D reconstruction and histology when needed, is important for accurate diagnosis.</div></div><div>This case illustrates that accessory sutures can closely mimic skull fractures on both CT im","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200703"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147951796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of Body Mass Index on Catheter Placement Success in Post-Mortem CT Angiography: A Retrospective Analysis","authors":"Ben McManoman, Amy-Lee Brookes","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Targeted post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) angiography is a valuable tool in post-mortem imaging. It enables detailed vascular assessment of the coronary arteries, therefore reducing the number of cases in which invasive post-mortem examinations are required. Successful catheter placement is critical for optimal contrast distribution and image quality. However, anatomical and physiological variations, such as body mass index (BMI), may influence the ease and success of catheter insertion. This study investigates the relationship between patient BMI and the success rate of catheter placement in PMCT angiography. It is hypothesised that catheter placement becomes more difficult the higher the patient’s BMI is.</div></div><div>Targeted post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) angiography is a valuable tool in post-mortem imaging. It enables detailed vascular assessment of the coronary arteries, therefore reducing the number of cases in which invasive post-mortem examinations are required. Successful catheter placement is critical for optimal contrast distribution and image quality. However, anatomical and physiological variations, such as body mass index (BMI), may influence the ease and success of catheter insertion. This study investigates the relationship between patient BMI and the success rate of catheter placement in PMCT angiography. It is hypothesised that catheter placement becomes more difficult the higher the patient’s BMI is.</div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective review was conducted on targeted cardiac PMCT angiography cases performed between 2018 and 2020 at Royal Preston Hospital. Data from 187 deceased individuals was analysed, including recorded height, weight, and calculated BMI. Patients were stratified into standard BMI categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) based on WHO guidelines. The primary outcome was the success of catheter placement, defined by correct positioning and adequate contrast delivery. An unpaired t-test was used to compare BMI between successful and unsuccessful catheter placement groups, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.</div></div><div>A retrospective review was conducted on targeted cardiac PMCT angiography cases performed between 2018 and 2020 at Royal Preston Hospital. Data from 187 deceased individuals was analysed, including recorded height, weight, and calculated BMI. Patients were stratified into standard BMI categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) based on WHO guidelines. The primary outcome was the success of catheter placement, defined by correct positioning and adequate contrast delivery. An unpaired t-test was used to compare BMI between successful and unsuccessful catheter placement groups, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>An unpaired t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in BMI between the successful and unsuccessful catheter placement gr","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200733"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147952039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Automated femoral measurement from postmortem computed tomographic images using artificial intelligence for forensic stature estimation in a Japanese","authors":"Suguru Torimitsu , Hisahiro Ikari , Shigeki Tsuneya , Yukiko Uemura , Mio Okada , Masatoshi Kojima , Fumiko Chiba , Hirotaro Iwase , Eiryo Kawakami , Yohsuke Makino","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted method for automatically measuring femoral length from postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) images, and to develop regression models for stature estimation in Japanese individuals.</div></div><div>To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted method for automatically measuring femoral length from postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) images, and to develop regression models for stature estimation in Japanese individuals.</div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>PMCT data from 163 deceased individuals (aged 20–73 years) were analyzed using an AI-assisted segmentation tool. Semantic segmentation was performed using the TotalSegmentator library, and maximum femoral length was estimated via the Double Sweep method. Measurement reproducibility was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Adjusted stature (AS) was calculated by subtracting 2.0 cm from the measured stature during autopsy to obtain an estimate of the living stature. Simple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess correlations between femoral measurements and AS. After the stature estimation formulae were derived from the simple linear regression analyses, the time from the initiation of femoral measurement to the display of the estimated stature was recorded.</div></div><div>PMCT data from 163 deceased individuals (aged 20–73 years) were analyzed using an AI-assisted segmentation tool. Semantic segmentation was performed using the TotalSegmentator library, and maximum femoral length was estimated via the Double Sweep method. Measurement reproducibility was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Adjusted stature (AS) was calculated by subtracting 2.0 cm from the measured stature during autopsy to obtain an estimate of the living stature. Simple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess correlations between femoral measurements and AS. After the stature estimation formulae were derived from the simple linear regression analyses, the time from the initiation of femoral measurement to the display of the estimated stature was recorded.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Femoral measurements showed excellent reproducibility (ICC > 0.999), with no outliers detected. Significant positive correlations were observed between femoral measurements and AS across all models (p < 0.001). Adjusted coefficient of determination values exceeded 0.80 for the total sample, and root mean square error values were 3.5 cm or less. The average time taken from the start of femoral measurement to the display of the estimated stature was 23.05 s.</div></div><div>Femoral measurements showed excellent reproducibility (ICC > 0.999), with no outliers detected. Significant positive correlations were observed between femoral measurements and AS across all models (p < 0.001). Adjusted coefficient of determination valu","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200694"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147952130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering Sharp Force Trauma Injuries with Scanning Electron Microscopy and SEM-EDX","authors":"Lise Pestourie , Eulalie Pefferkorn , Claudie Josse , Norbert Telmon , Céline Guilbeau-Frugier","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Differentiating bladed weapons in sharp force trauma remains a critical forensic challenge. While macroscopic examination offers preliminary clues, it often lacks the precision to identify the specific weapon used. Yet, correctly attributing a wound to a particular blade type can be decisive in legal investigations. This study explores the combined use of morphological analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with elemental analysis via SEM-coupled Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), to detect unique signatures left by different bladed weapons.</div><div>We conducted a prospective experimental study using three smooth-bladed knives: a hunting knife, a ceramic knife, and a common utility knife (Opinel type 8). A custom-built machine created standardized stab wounds on ex vivo specimens with consistent pressure. A total of 30 wounds (10 per knife type) were analyzed.</div><div>Wounds were first examined using SEM to identify specific morphological criteria like groove depth and width. Simultaneously, EDX was used to identify and quantify trace particles from the blades. Analysis was performed on both bone and soft tissue samples to represent conditions of maximal and more realistic deposition. The elemental composition of each blade was determined as a reference, and negative controls ensured sample integrity.</div><div>While morphological differences exist between wounds produced by each of the weapons, their distinction remains a challenge. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) provides complementary data. A detailed statistical comparison of particle density and nature was performed. Thus, distinct morphological features and characteristic elemental signatures were observed in the wounds. These results demonstrate that a combined morphological and compositional analysis provides an effective method for differentiating sharp force injuries.</div><div>This research establishes a comprehensive protocol for characterizing sharp force injuries. The findings will enhance forensic investigations by providing a precise, objective method to identify the type of weapon used, thereby making a valuable contribution to forensic pathology.</div></div><div>Differentiating bladed weapons in sharp force trauma remains a critical forensic challenge. While macroscopic examination offers preliminary clues, it often lacks the precision to identify the specific weapon used. Yet, correctly attributing a wound to a particular blade type can be decisive in legal investigations. This study explores the combined use of morphological analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with elemental analysis via SEM-coupled Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), to detect unique signatures left by different bladed weapons.</div><div>We conducted a prospective experimental study using three smooth-bladed knives: a hunting knife, a ceramic knife, and a common utility knife (Opinel type 8). A custom-buil","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200775"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147950973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Anthropological Perspectives – Digitalization of the Francisc I. Rainer Craniological Collection","authors":"Andra-Ioana Baloiu , Andreea-Nicoleta Marinescu , Octavian Munteanu , Ioan-Andrei Petrescu , Andrei Soficaru , Florin-Mihail Filipoiu","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Francisc I. Rainer Craniological Collection, part of the Department of Paleoanthropology/Human Osteology at the Francisc I. Rainer Institute of Anthropology, Romanian Academy, contains almost 7000 dried skulls collected by Professor Francisc Rainer, most of which originate from Romania during the interwar period. This collection is one of the most important craniological collections in Europe, and most specimens have their sex, age, occupation, date and cause of death specified.</div><div>The research project - Digitization of the Francisc I. Rainer Craniological Collection, a collaboration between the Radiology Department of the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, the Department of Paleoanthropology/Human Osteology at the Francisc I. Rainer Institute of Anthropology within the Romanian Academy, and the Anatomy Department, within the Faculty of Medicine at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, aims to digitalize the craniological collection of the late professor Rainer by inventorying and developing a DICOM database through computed tomography scanning, thus enabling the development of multiple morphometric and anatomical variability studies of various anatomical structures at the skull level.</div><div>The research project is ongoing, with over 700 pieces from the collection scanned to date, while morphometric data and anatomical variability data are also being collected from cranial anatomical structures such as the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone, the sphenoid sinus, accessory openings, and interclinoid bridges.</div><div>This paper aims to describe the project, focusing on the challenges related to the computed tomography scanning protocol, as well as to present a brief overview of the partial results obtained from the analysis of the collected data.</div></div><div>The Francisc I. Rainer Craniological Collection, part of the Department of Paleoanthropology/Human Osteology at the Francisc I. Rainer Institute of Anthropology, Romanian Academy, contains almost 7000 dried skulls collected by Professor Francisc Rainer, most of which originate from Romania during the interwar period. This collection is one of the most important craniological collections in Europe, and most specimens have their sex, age, occupation, date and cause of death specified.</div><div>The research project - Digitization of the Francisc I. Rainer Craniological Collection, a collaboration between the Radiology Department of the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, the Department of Paleoanthropology/Human Osteology at the Francisc I. Rainer Institute of Anthropology within the Romanian Academy, and the Anatomy Department, within the Faculty of Medicine at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, aims to digitalize the craniological collection of the late professor Rainer by inventorying and developing a DICOM database through computed tomography scanning, thus enabling the development of multiple morphometric and anatomi","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200690"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147950974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temperature Dependance of Postmortem CT Attenuation values in Perirectal Adipose Tissue","authors":"Nanaka Igari , Tomoya Kobayashi , Masahiro Yoshida , Kazuya Tashiro , Kazunori Kaga , Hajime Saito , Hideyuki Hayakawa , Hirotaka Takebayashi , Yoshiyuki Ito","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>CT attenuation values of adipose tissue typically increase in cases of traumatic or inflammatory changes. In post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT), accurate assessment of adipose tissue is important to evaluate pathological conditions. However, the effect of low temperature of diseased bodies on CT values of adipose tissue remains unclarified. We investigated the relationship between rectal temperature and perirectal adipose tissue CT attenuation values on PMCT.</div></div><div>CT attenuation values of adipose tissue typically increase in cases of traumatic or inflammatory changes. In post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT), accurate assessment of adipose tissue is important to evaluate pathological conditions. However, the effect of low temperature of diseased bodies on CT values of adipose tissue remains unclarified. We investigated the relationship between rectal temperature and perirectal adipose tissue CT attenuation values on PMCT.</div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>PMCT examination was performed on 131 corpses prior to autopsy at the Tsukuba Medical Examiner’s Office from January 1, 2023 to August 10, 2025. Thirty cases were included in our study after applying exclusion criteria, including advanced decomposition (subcutaneous gas), burned bodies, submerged bodies, traumatic deaths, cardiac death, hanging, malnourished cases, inflammation/artifacts in the pelvic region, or pediatric cases. A 16-row detector CT scanner (Aquilion Lightning, Canon Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) was used. Mean Hounsfield units (HU) were measured in bilateral circular regions of interest (ROIs) of 1.5 cm² which were placed adjacent to the rectum on an axial slice proximal from the anal sphincter where showed the widest perirectal adipose tissue area. HU values were independently measured by two radiological technologists, with a standard deviation within each ROI ≤15 HU. The mean HU value of both ROIs for each corpse was calculated, and interobserver reproducibility was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (3,1). Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to examine the association between rectal temperature measured immediately after CT and the mean HU value, defining the statistical significance as p < 0.05.</div></div><div>PMCT examination was performed on 131 corpses prior to autopsy at the Tsukuba Medical Examiner’s Office from January 1, 2023 to August 10, 2025. Thirty cases were included in our study after applying exclusion criteria, including advanced decomposition (subcutaneous gas), burned bodies, submerged bodies, traumatic deaths, cardiac death, hanging, malnourished cases, inflammation/artifacts in the pelvic region, or pediatric cases. A 16-row detector CT scanner (Aquilion Lightning, Canon Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) was used. Mean Hounsfield units (HU) were measured in bilateral circular regions of interest (ROIs) of 1.5 cm² which were placed adjacent to the rectum on an axial","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200725"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147952043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis through the forensic lens","authors":"Jamie Elifritz","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Problem</h3><div>Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is common and frequently identified as an incidental finding. Although it is a well-defined and routinely encountered “bread and butter” radiologic diagnosis, DISH can be misdiagnosed or overgeneralized. In the United States, the diagnosis is increasingly introduced in injury causation arguments, where it is used to divert attention from trauma mechanics and the performance of safety systems, rather than being applied within established imaging and biomechanical frameworks.</div></div><div>Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is common and frequently identified as an incidental finding. Although it is a well-defined and routinely encountered “bread and butter” radiologic diagnosis, DISH can be misdiagnosed or overgeneralized. In the United States, the diagnosis is increasingly introduced in injury causation arguments, where it is used to divert attention from trauma mechanics and the performance of safety systems, rather than being applied within established imaging and biomechanical frameworks.</div><div><h3>Innovation</h3><div>This presentation delivers a structured, imaging-centered analysis of DISH grounded in accepted diagnostic criteria and practical radiologic pearls. Clinical and metabolic associations are reviewed with explicit distinction between correlation and causation. Commonly misrepresented or overgeneralized concepts in DISH literature are critically examined. Representative medicolegal case examples are used to illustrate recurring radiologic reasoning errors and falsehoods encountered in professional practice.</div></div><div>This presentation delivers a structured, imaging-centered analysis of DISH grounded in accepted diagnostic criteria and practical radiologic pearls. Clinical and metabolic associations are reviewed with explicit distinction between correlation and causation. Commonly misrepresented or overgeneralized concepts in DISH literature are critically examined. Representative medicolegal case examples are used to illustrate recurring radiologic reasoning errors and falsehoods encountered in professional practice.</div><div><h3>Impact</h3><div>Diagnostic misapplications include classifying DISH based solely on the presence of thoracic osteophytes or osteophyte laterality, equating all cases of DISH with the rigid “long-bone” biomechanical model, and selectively applying low-energy fracture literature to high-energy trauma mechanisms. Additional errors include reliance on inaccurate or misleading radiologic demonstrative aids.</div><div>Clarifying these issues reinforces DISH as a straightforward radiological diagnosis, supports accurate identification of clinically actionable findings, and underscores that the presence of DISH alone does not establish causation for all trauma-related injuries. Radiologic rigor in this context is essential for maintaining medicolegal integrity.</div></div><div>Diagnostic misapplications include class","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200784"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147952051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postmortem diagnosis of acute coronary insufficiency and chronic ischemic heart disease by spectrally selective laser autofluorescence polarimetry","authors":"Oleh Vanchuliak, Victor Bachynskyi, Oleksandr Pavliukovych","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Myocardial tissue contains a significant number of natural fluorophores. Since each fluorophore has its own characteristic of absorption and emission spectrum, the obtained data carry information about the internal structure of the myocardium.</div></div><div>Myocardial tissue contains a significant number of natural fluorophores. Since each fluorophore has its own characteristic of absorption and emission spectrum, the obtained data carry information about the internal structure of the myocardium.</div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In acute coronary insufficiency, as a manifestation of acute hemic hypoxia of cardiomyocytes, there is a reduction of all cytochromes of the respiratory chain with electrons, which can be recorded using the method of laser autofluorescence polarization microscopy. The technique included the following stages:</div><div>1. irradiation of a biological tissue sample with a plane-polarized laser beam/</div><div>2. measurement of intensity distribution in the plane of an autofluorescence image/</div><div>3. statistical analysis of intensity distributions of autofluorescence images.</div><div>Comparative analysis of the obtained data showed that the differences between the values of the average statistical moments Mi=1/2/3/4(I) of all orders were statistically significant. At the same time, intergroup overlap is observed for all histograms N(M1).</div><div>The most sensitive statistical moments characterizing the N(If ) histograms were identified.</div></div><div>In acute coronary insufficiency, as a manifestation of acute hemic hypoxia of cardiomyocytes, there is a reduction of all cytochromes of the respiratory chain with electrons, which can be recorded using the method of laser autofluorescence polarization microscopy. The technique included the following stages:</div><div>1. irradiation of a biological tissue sample with a plane-polarized laser beam/</div><div>2. measurement of intensity distribution in the plane of an autofluorescence image/</div><div>3. statistical analysis of intensity distributions of autofluorescence images.</div><div>Comparative analysis of the obtained data showed that the differences between the values of the average statistical moments Mi=1/2/3/4(I) of all orders were statistically significant. At the same time, intergroup overlap is observed for all histograms N(M1).</div><div>The most sensitive statistical moments characterizing the N(If ) histograms were identified.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The obtained data show that samples of both groups demonstrate different intensity distributions of their autofluorescence images.</div><div>In the plane of sections of myocardial tissue samples from acute coronary insufficiency and chronic ischemic heart disease, a wide range of protein fiber stacking directions was observed. When studied by this method, the fibrillar network of both types of samples was very similar.</div><div>In myocardial tissue affected by acute coronar","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200721"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147951682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial Intelligence (AI), Hanging, Postmortem CT (PMCT)","authors":"Rabab Al Mansoori , Hisahiro Ikari , Yukiko Uemura , Tsuneya , Masatoshi Kojima , Suguru Torimitsu , Hirotaro Iwase , Eiryo Kawakami , Yohsuke Makino","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is important in forensic practice. In recent years, the use of postmortem CT (PMCT) has been increasing in the field of forensic medicine. However, its utility in PMI estimation remains limited. Hanging cases have specific features of livor mortis that affect PMCT findings related to PMI. Recent artificial intelligence (AI) can evaluate images without bias, and may be useful for exploring which imaging findings could contribute to PMI estimation. This study aims to evaluate whether AI-based PMCT analysis can support PMI estimation in hanging cases.</div></div><div>Estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is important in forensic practice. In recent years, the use of postmortem CT (PMCT) has been increasing in the field of forensic medicine. However, its utility in PMI estimation remains limited. Hanging cases have specific features of livor mortis that affect PMCT findings related to PMI. Recent artificial intelligence (AI) can evaluate images without bias, and may be useful for exploring which imaging findings could contribute to PMI estimation. This study aims to evaluate whether AI-based PMCT analysis can support PMI estimation in hanging cases.</div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective review was conducted on all fatal hanging cases examined by PMCT and autopsy at the Department of Legal Medicine, Chiba University, over a ten-year period (2016–2025). Exclusion criteria included cases with a total body score (TBS) of the trunk ≥ 4, undocumented last-seen or discovery times, and individuals alive at discovery who achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).</div><div>The AI model used was DINOv3, which is a vision transformer based neural network architecture that had been pre-trained on general images, with chest-focused volume of interest (VOI) analysis. The time interval between last-seen alive and discovery was dichotomized as ≤ 0.5 day and > 0.5 day, using a single threshold to separate early and later discovery.</div></div><div>A retrospective review was conducted on all fatal hanging cases examined by PMCT and autopsy at the Department of Legal Medicine, Chiba University, over a ten-year period (2016–2025). Exclusion criteria included cases with a total body score (TBS) of the trunk ≥ 4, undocumented last-seen or discovery times, and individuals alive at discovery who achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).</div><div>The AI model used was DINOv3, which is a vision transformer based neural network architecture that had been pre-trained on general images, with chest-focused volume of interest (VOI) analysis. The time interval between last-seen alive and discovery was dichotomized as ≤ 0.5 day and > 0.5 day, using a single threshold to separate early and later discovery.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of consecutive 145 fatal hanging cases were identified, of which 111 met the inclusion criteria. AI classification showed clear sep","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200726"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147952045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HU vs. Microscope: Postmortem CT Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis Grades in correlation with histological analysis in cases from Crete","authors":"Eirini Chasapi , Despoina Flouri , Efsevia Daskalaki , Andreas Kontogiannis , Kostantinos Spanakis , Kranioti Elena","doi":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fri.2026.200727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Hepatic steatosis is a common histological finding in forensic practice with potential medicolegal implications. Postmortem CT (PMCT) now offers a noninvasive means of estimating liver fat content using attenuation values. Clinical and forensic data suggest that noncontrast CT attenuation ≤40 Hounsfield Units (HU) reliably indicates at least moderate steatosis, approximating an MRI-PDFF fat fraction of about 15%. This study tests the applicability of these thresholds in postmortem cases from the University of Crete, correlating HU and dual-energy fat fraction with histology.</div></div><div>Hepatic steatosis is a common histological finding in forensic practice with potential medicolegal implications. Postmortem CT (PMCT) now offers a noninvasive means of estimating liver fat content using attenuation values. Clinical and forensic data suggest that noncontrast CT attenuation ≤40 Hounsfield Units (HU) reliably indicates at least moderate steatosis, approximating an MRI-PDFF fat fraction of about 15%. This study tests the applicability of these thresholds in postmortem cases from the University of Crete, correlating HU and dual-energy fat fraction with histology.</div><div><h3>Material and Methods</h3><div>This retrospective study included deaths examined at the Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Crete (2020–2025) that underwent both full forensic autopsy and unenhanced PMCT. Cases with marked decomposition, focal liver lesions, traumatic disruption, hepatic ischemia due to hemorrhage, underaged individuals or recent ante-mortem contrast were excluded. Of 230 examinations, 46 met inclusion criteria, including 32 males and 14 females/ dual-energy PMCT was additionally available in 4 cases. Causes of death were CAD and/or cardiomyopathy (22), craniocerebral trauma (9), drowning (5), blunt thoracic trauma (1), MOF (2), ischaemic stroke (1) and other causes (5). Liver attenuation (HU) was measured using standardized ROIs and, when available, fat fraction values were derived and compared with histological grading.</div></div><div>This retrospective study included deaths examined at the Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Crete (2020–2025) that underwent both full forensic autopsy and unenhanced PMCT. Cases with marked decomposition, focal liver lesions, traumatic disruption, hepatic ischemia due to hemorrhage, underaged individuals or recent ante-mortem contrast were excluded. Of 230 examinations, 46 met inclusion criteria, including 32 males and 14 females/ dual-energy PMCT was additionally available in 4 cases. Causes of death were CAD and/or cardiomyopathy (22), craniocerebral trauma (9), drowning (5), blunt thoracic trauma (1), MOF (2), ischaemic stroke (1) and other causes (5). Liver attenuation (HU) was measured using standardized ROIs and, when available, fat fraction values were derived and compared with histological grading.</div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The test indicates measurable variation in liver atten","PeriodicalId":40763,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Imaging","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 200727"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147951596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}