NCJ Number
193732
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 47 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 127-130
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This study determined the efficacy and efficiency of using an X-ray security screening system to locate dental fragments and other foreign objects that might be mixed together with fragmented remains in a mass disaster.
Abstract
The search and recover team at a mass disaster must collect, mark, and record all materials suspected to be part of the disaster. This includes bodies, body parts, personal possessions, cargo, and parts of the vehicle. The objects that may be commingled are placed in body bags and taken to a temporary morgue. Accurate and prompt identification of each victim is needed. This study compares the efficiency of a manual examination of a body bag to that of a scanner. Eight body bags were prepared with fresh sheep and pig tissue, which included pig jaws, a pig femur, and a scapula to simulate fragmented human body tissue. Dental specimens, such as human teeth, were placed in red bags to simulate debris that would be found at a crash site. The EG&G Astrophysics Linescan Unit, a security system was used for the study. The Pennsylvania Dental Identification Team (PADIT) showed that a manual examination of simulated body bags containing commingled dental parts and foreign objects by a team of trained forensic odontologists was very effective in locating dental fragments and in finding foreign objects. While this method was effective, it was not efficient because it took a long time to examine the various objects. With the use of the X-ray security screening system, the time factor could be reduced. The study demonstrated that even though sophisticated equipment could reduce the time element in locating commingled dental and foreign objects, a forensic odontologist was more effective. The scanners helped divide and identify the questionable objects, but the trained forensic odontologist was needed for definitive identification. 1 Table, 4 figures