Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) allows for the contactless analysis of the composition of substances based on the reflected light and is already used in various areas of medicine. The carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) concentration in blood of suspected fire victims serves to prove vitality and the cause of death. However, this metric is usually determined by spectrophotometry in the...
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major public health concern. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including South Africa, there is a lack of reliable statistics on the incidence of SCD, even though there has been a fourfold increase in noncommunicable diseases (NCD), particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Sudden cardiac death contributes to an estimated 50% of all cardiovascular...
During excavation campaigns carried out in north-eastern Spain (Aragonese), a well -preserved late 18th century infant mummy was exhumed from the topsoil of El Piquete church (Quinto, Zaragoza). At morphological macroscopical observation, a penetrating lesion lateral to the right knee was identified. The lesion was covered by linen bindings with a circumscribed brownish...
Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) encompasses both explained and unexplained infant fatalities. When a comprehensive investigation yields inconclusive results, the case is classified as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). On the other hand, the most frequent non-SIDS diagnoses may be attributed to specific causes of death including a heterogeneous spectrum of conditions and...
Pneumopericardium (PPC) is defined by the presence of gas in the pericardial cavity, often leading to cardiac tamponade and a high mortality rate. This report describes a case involving a 33-year-old man found deceased a few meters from a knife, his clothes intact, with no resuscitation attempt made. A knotted scarf was tightly fastened around his neck, without ligature mark...
Tattooing has been a facet of many civilizations and cultures for millennia with a recent resurgence in popularity in many Western countries. The reasons for tattooing are diverse ranging from simple decorative designs to enforced tattooing of concentration camp inmates. In a forensic context tattoos are frequently observed and may play a role in some cases of identification...
Tattooing refers to the process of creating indelible designs and texts in the human skin by introducing a variety of dyes. It has found for millennia in a range of societies. The purpose of tattooing has ranged from marking individuals of significant social standing such as chieftains in Polynesia, to those who are regarded as outcasts such as prostitutes and criminals in Europe...
The diagnosis of septic arthritis remains challenging in the clinical setting, often leading to a suspicion for medical liability. Our purpose is to describe an unusual case of a post-mortem diagnosis of P. multocida fatal septic arthritis, in a healthy 67-year-old woman presenting with pain in the right shoulder. Moreover, a literature review of cases of fatal septic arthritis...
A 36-year-old woman diagnosed with complicated cholecystolithiasis underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), then converted to open cholecystectomy because of a massive intraoperative bleeding. Hemostasis was performed with clipping and suturing the source of bleeding. In post-operative period, the patient suffered from persistent anemia associated with hemoperitoneum...
Hypothermia occurs when core body temperature drops below 35 °C. The purpose of this review was to identify and analyze studies on the topic of hypothermia from an immunohistochemical perspective to determine robust markers of fatal hypothermia. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. It...
In fatalities caused by falls from height, the analysis of the injury pattern, alongside with circumstantial data, is crucial for understanding the dynamics of the incident. In rare cases, even a differentiation between accidental and intentional events might be possible. The injury pattern of the lower limbs is particularly significant in this context. In the present case - fall...
The intestinal content of newborns is known as meconium, usually described as a black-greenish slimy substance. However, in rare cases, meconium might be yellow. This is of great relevance with regard to the forensic assessment of life birth, i.e. (longer) survival time and possible (breast-)feeding before death. While in older German forensic literature, yellow meconium has been...
A man in his mid-70s passed out in a public 90-degree sauna and remained unconscious for at least half an hour. He suffered third-degree burns to approximately 50% of his body surface area. Despite immediate transport to a burn center and intensive care therapy, he did not regain consciousness and died eleven days later. When the body was opened, the lungs, liver, kidneys, and...
This bibliometric investigation aimed to analyze trends in author self-citation within prominent forensic odontology literature and explore potential correlations between self-citation rates and publication attributes. We reviewed seven leading forensic sciences journals from 2003 to 2023. For this analysis, we focused on two specific timeframes: 2003–2007 and 2018–2023. Our...
The diagnosis of malaria during the autopsy of a decomposed corpse may prove challenging. Macroscopic changes are non-specific and may include, among others, cerebral oedema, pulmonary oedema, hepatosplenomegaly and, on occasion, the presence of petechiae. The most effective diagnostic tools for malaria are the examination of blood smears and the use of rapid...
Fatal skull stabs are rare. In the case reported here, a 28-year-old man sustained an isolated penetrating skull injury from a knife and died two days later. The bone shard with the stab puncture, which was neurosurgically removed before death, later allowed the reproducible exact assignment of the murder knife found at the scene to the stab as well as the estimation of the...
Diagnostic uncertainty is a well-recognized concept in clinical practice, encompassing both technical perspectives and the subjective perceptions of physicians. Post-mortem diagnostics (PMD), which involves all post-mortem investigations to assess diseases and injuries and determine the cause of death, shares this inherent uncertainty due to the complexity and multidisciplinary...
Because pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has an inherent high risk of sudden and unexpected death, this condition is a classic entity in forensic casework. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the characteristics surrounding deaths from PTE. We conducted a retrospective study from 2010 to 2019 at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Aarhus, Denmark. We recorded demographic...
Death by collision with an incoming train is common in countries where a railroad network exists. In such cases, when there is severe pelvic trauma, the penis may be partially degloved and turned inside out. The inverted penile skin may then resemble a vulva and the scrotum may mimic labia majora, causing the injured male genitalia to strongly resemble female genitalia. Forensic...
Forensic autopsies remain indispensable for accurately determining the cause and manner of death. However, pathologists face significant challenges inherent to the complex process of postmortem diagnostics (PMD), including the potential for diagnostic errors. The implementation of quality assurance (QA) mechanisms is crucial for minimizing these errors. Nonetheless, the lack of...
Blue toe syndrome, also referred to as cholesterol crystal embolism is characterized by the distal embolization of cholesterol crystals originating from ruptured atherosclerotic plaques. This condition commonly arises in the context of cardiovascular procedures. Emboli from the thoracoabdominal aorta primarily affect the downstream extremities and intra-abdominal viscera, often...
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant global health concern and frequently encountered in medico-legal autopsies. Previous studies suggest that certain TBI subtypes are more likely to co-occur than others. Therefore, we aimed to explore the potential of latent class analysis (LCA) to identify and characterize primary head injury combinations in neuropathologically...
Various relics ascribed to have been in physical contact with the historical Jesus of Nazareth have been evaluated for the presence of blood, including the Tunic of Argenteuil, the Sudarium of Oviedo, and most famously, the Shroud of Turin. Interestingly, the blood type on all three textiles was found to be AB by serological testing; a similar result was observed for various...
Unusual findings during an autopsy may come from peculiarities in the position, shape, size, weight, consistency, smell or color of organs. The following study was triggered by an autopsy case in which an unusual blue-green discoloration of organs, which changed during the autopsy, was noticed. A review of the local autopsy database, selected cases including the antemortem...
Peer review of submitted manuscripts refers to the process of sending out papers for evaluation by suitably qualified academics/practitioners working in the same area. After their assessments and recommendations have been addressed by submitting authors editors will decide on whether publication is warranted or not. Unfortunately, ‘peer review’ has achieved a high status in...