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Visualization of a hanging using multiple layered cinematic renderings (bone, muscle body, and surface). Using this method, the bony structures of the neck and the rope can be visualized at the same time despite the fact that the rope has a Hounsfield density similar to that of the soft tissue. Painted transparencies on different layers allow exposure of underlying structures such as the hyoid bone

Visualization of a hanging using multiple layered cinematic renderings (bone, muscle body, and surface). Using this method, the bony structures of the neck and the rope can be visualized at the same time despite the fact that the rope has a Hounsfield density similar to that of the soft tissue. Painted transparencies on different layers allow exposure of underlying structures such as the hyoid bone

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Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a standard image modality used in forensic death investigations. Case- and audience-specific visualizations are vital for identifying relevant findings and communicating them appropriately. Different data types and visualization methods exist in 2D and 3D, and all of these types have specific applications. 2...

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... PMCT offers several advantages over autopsy, including its non-invasive nature, rapid execution, and ability to provide detailed threedimensional images of anatomical structures and traumatic lesions [5]. In the context of gunshot wounds, it also helps to reconstruct and illustrate 3D trajectories [6]. ...
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Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) is an increasingly utilized tool in forensic medicine for evaluating head gunshot injuries. Vault bevelling sign, when present, provides information regarding entry and exit wounds; when absent, identifying wound type on PMCT remains challenging. A cutaneous hyperdense ring, described in an animal study by Junno et al. (2022), may be indicative of contact shots. We hypothesized that it could also be observed in human gunshot injuries. Our study evaluates the reliability of the cutaneous hyperdense rim sign for identifying entry gunshot wounds in PMCT. After excluding complex and mucosal wounds, two operators retrospectively evaluated 64 gunshot wounds (30 entry and 34 exit wounds) in 34 head PMCT cases (2018–2022). Gold standard for wound type determination was the autopsy report. The hyperdense rim sign was defined as at least two-thirds of a continuous cutaneous hyperdense circle on a multiplanar reconstruction of cutaneous tissue tangent to the wound. The hyperdense rim sign demonstrated a specificity of 97% (95% CI: 85–100%) and a sensitivity of 63% (95% CI: 44–80%) for identifying entry wounds. Moreover, in 16 external examination reports where the presence of powder residues or bullet wipe at entry wound was explicitly mentioned, a positive association was observed between hyperdense rim sign and the presence of these elements (p = 0.018). These findings suggest that the hyperdense rim sign, when present, may be a valuable tool for entry wound determination in gunshot injuries, interpreted in conjunction with other CT and autopsy features.
... MPR reconstructions allow the visualization of organs in three planes, and 3D visualizations enable the creation of spatial images that more clearly present changes in organs for non-medical individuals, such as prosecutors. 3D visualization images make it possible to create documentation that serves as evidence in a case [2]. ...
... Rekonstrukcje MPR pozwalają na uwidocznienie narządów w trzech płaszczyznach, a wizualizacje 3D pozwalają na tworzenie obrazów przestrzennych, w sposób bardziej zrozumiały przedstawiających zmiany w narządach dla osób nie związanych z medycyną -na przykład prokuratorów. Zdjęcia wizualizacji 3D umożliwiają wykonanie dokumentacji stanowiącej dowód w sprawie [2]. ...
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In the study, data from the literature regarding the use of computed tomography in post-mortem examinations (post-mortem computed tomography - PMCT) were analyzed. Literature data indicate that PMCT should be used as a complementary tool rather than an alternative to autopsy, detecting additional changes that may have been unnoticed due to anatomical location or the need to extend traditional autopsy techniques. The ability to save, create and reconstruct images is very helpful in creating documentation and final opinions. There is a need to develop standards for the evaluation of post-mortem computed tomography images, which will enable further development of virtual autopsy techniques in the field of forensic medicine, supported by artificial intelligence.
... Por meio do uso de doses de radiação de 1,5mSv a 6 mSv ela distingue as densidades e auxilia na construção de estruturas faciais em 2D e 3D através de softwares fidedignos capazes de reconstruir a musculatura e realçar detalhes sutis que poderiam passar despercebidos, como em casos de autoextermínio em que a pessoa não é identificada [16]. As informações encontradas podem ser fornecidas a médicos leigos na área forense, juízes, procuradores e advogados, os quais interpretam uma imagem de visualização compreensível, principalmente pelo uso da impressão 3D, que permite a reconstrução craniofacial forense e a combinação de armas, por exemplo, que fornecem provas concretas e de fácil compreensão para profissionais que, inclusive, não são da área [26]. ...
... A tecnologia MIP destaca materiais com alta densidade, dessa forma, torna-se útil para a localização e determinação de corpos estranhos. A MinIP, por sua vez, destaca materiais com baixa densidade, tornando-se útil para a visualização de estruturas gasosas ou líquidos, como embolia gasosa, enfisema, gases de decomposição ou brônquios repletos de líquido que podem revelar aspectos cruciais para auxiliar a autópsia convencional [26]. Esses recursos 2D e 3D, ao possibilitarem a realização da reconstrução craniofacial, se apresentam como ferramentas importantes para a identificação humana em acidentes em massa, de forma a auxiliar a autópsia convencional. ...
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... As discussed above, slice reconstruction for axial images and MPRs is performed with the slice thickness, kernel, degree of iterative reconstruction appropriate for body part, and tissue visualization (Fig. 11). Isometric voxels are required for smooth reconstructions performed in non-axial planes with overlapping slice data preferred to eliminate stair-step artifact [2,4,14,15] (Figs. 11 and 12). ...
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... It is able to provide accurate information about the anatomy of the tooth and adjacent tissues in three dimensions 1, 2 . With its growing popularity from this technique, new possibilities for the use of specific software for analysis and processing of these images also arise [3][4][5] . InVesalius is a free and open source image processing software that allows the visualization and analysis of medical images in three dimensions, including CBCT images. ...
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... In modernen digitalen Methoden der GWR bilden zahlreiche Veröffentlichungen eine Grundlage für die Verwendung von Daten der Computertomographie (CT)[9,10,12], teils erweitert durch Informationen der Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT)[13]. Diese Methoden zeigen, dass eine präzise Extraktion sowohl des Schädels als auch der äußersten Weichteilschicht durch den Einsatz von speziellen Filtern, welche auf Pixeldichtewerten beruhen[12], möglich ist[6].Die Extraktion dieser anatomischen Strukturen ist entscheidend für weiterführende Analysen und Rekonstruktionen. Um eine Datengrundlage zu schaffen und eine umfassendere Perspektive zu gewährleisten, wird vermehrt auf die Nutzung von CT-Daten gesetzt. ...
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... In contemporary digital forensics, it is necessary to reconstruct both 2D and 3D impression types digitally and physically in 3D as this will add much value for forensic analysis. 3D reconstruction is vital in computer vision and is gaining importance in future metaverse forensic frameworks that combine virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality [13][14][15]. The spatial representation of evidence may enhance personal identification accuracy, aligning with current technologies and shaping future impression analysis procedures. ...
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... For visualization, rendering and further evaluation, free standard software (such as Blender, Blender Institute, Blender Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) was used (further discussion of software to be used for forensic imaging see e.g. [19]). ...
... In the present case, the PMCT technique was particularly suitable as it allowed for the identification of any internal bleeding [18], employing high-energy, low-interference image acquisition protocols [19]. Despite the advanced stages of body transformation, these investigations facilitated a rapid and effective classification of the cases (Figure 1). ...
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Healthcare-related homicidal cases are not novel within the medical–legal landscape, but investigations are often made difficult with the scarcity of material evidence related to the crime. For this reason, it is necessary to carefully analyze the clinical documentation and employ ancillary forensic resources such as radiology, histopathology, and toxicology. In the presented scenario, the observation of 14 deaths from abnormal bleeding in a First-Level Italian Hospital revealed the administration of massive doses of heparin by a nurse. On behalf of the Judicial Authority, a multidisciplinary medical team investigated the case through the following steps: a thorough review of the clinical documentation, exhumation of the bodies belonging to the deceased patients, performing PMCT and autopsy, and collecting tissue samples for histopathological, immunohistochemical, and toxicological investigations. All the analyzed cases have been characterized by the observation of fatal hemorrhagic episodes not explained with the clinical conditions of the patients, confirmed using autopsy observations and the histological demonstration of the vitality of the lesions. However, due to the limited availability of biological material for the toxicological analysis, the indirect evidence from hematological analyses in hospitalized patients was crucial in demonstrating heparin overdose and its link to the recorded deaths. The present scenario demonstrates the fundamental importance of a multidisciplinary approach to cases of judicial interest related to the healthcare context. Therefore, the illustrated methodologies can be interpreted as an operational framework for similar future cases.