Keywords:
Forensic / Necropsy studies, Cone beam CT, Experimental investigations, Forensics
Authors:
M. Bisceglia1, M. Weber2, G. Pelletti1, G. Viel1, D. Miotto1, M. Montisci1, G. Cecchetto1, C. Giraudo1; 1Padova/IT, 2Vienna/AT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-0731
Aims and objectives
The tools used in cases of dismemberment cause specific marks,
defined tool marks,
on the victims [1,2].
Saws,
which are considered complex tools,
can cause marks on the bone which are usually defined as “false starts” and are characterized by several features such as shape,
set and teeth per inches (TPI).
Different techniques can be applied to analyze false starts on bones,
including optical [3–5] and digital [6] microscopy,
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) [7,8],
environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and epifluorescence macroscopy [9].
Recently,
very interesting results were obtained using MicroCT [1].
Indeed,
it has been demonstrated that this radiological technique can provide qualitative information about saw marks (SMs) experimentally produced on bone samples allowing the distinction among saw marks caused by different types of saws.
Despite these encouraging results,
to the best of our knowledge,
up to now,
a quantitative characterization of SMs experimentally produced on bones was still missing.
Thus,
aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of a MicroCT-based flow-chart for the morphometric characterization of SMs.