NCJ Number
229286
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 1419-1422
Date Published
November 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This study examined the usefulness of morphometric changes identified by computerized image analysis in differentiating diagnoses of electrocution, flame burn, and abrasion; the efficiency of this method in forensic medicine practice is discussed.
Abstract
Using computerized image analysis, this study measured epidermal nuclear area, perimeter, nuclear form factor, nuclear minimum axes, nuclear maximum axes, and minimum axes/maximum axes ratio of skin lesions. The group that had the highest minimum axes of epidermal cell nucleus was the abrasion group. Maximum axes, namely, nuclear elongation, and perimeter were highest in the electrocution group. Minimum axes/maximum axes ratio was significantly higher in the abrasion group compared with the other groups. There was a significant difference between electrical lesions and the other two groups regarding the nuclear form factor. These findings suggest that nuclear areas, perimeter, and axes measurements can be used as an objective standard for determining the electrical lesion. Further, the study concludes that computerized image analysis with light microscopic examination can be useful in the differentiation of the electrocution, flame burns, and abrasion-type lesions. Based on the known causes of the lesions, cases were classified into three groups. One group included 30 deaths from electrocution; a second group was composed of 30 deaths with flame burns, and the third group included 30 deaths from traffic accidents that had abrasions. 3 tables, 2 figures, and 16 references