Enhancing the Visibility of Injuries with Narrow-Banded Beams of Light within the Visible Light Spectrum

• NCJ Number: 246072
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2013 Pages: 518-522
• Author(s): Roxane M. Limmen, B.A.S.; Manon Ceelen, Ph.D.; Udo J.L. Reijnders, Ph.D.; S. Joris Stomp, M.Sc.; Koos C. de Keijzer, M.Sc.; Kees Das, Ph.D.
• Date Published: March 2013
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Technical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In this study, narrow-banded beams of light within the visible light spectrum were used to explore their ability in improving the visibility of external injuries.

Abstract

The use of narrow-banded visible light sources in improving the visibility of injuries has been hardly investigated, and studies examining the extent of this improvement are lacking. In this study, narrow-banded beams of light within the visible light spectrum were used to explore their ability in improving the visibility of external injuries. The beams of light were induced by four crime-lites providing narrow-banded beams of light between 400 and 550 nm. The visibility of the injuries was assessed through specific long-pass filters supplied with the set of crime-lites. Forty-three percent of the examined injuries improved in visibility by using the narrow-banded visible light. In addition, injuries were visualized that were not visible or just barely visible to the naked eye. The improvements in visibility were particularly marked with the use of crime-lites "violet" and "blue" covering the spectrum between 400-430 and 430-470 nm. The simple noninvasive method showed a great potential contribution in injury examination. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.