NCJ Number
214845
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 38,40,43
Date Published
June 2006
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the use of virtual autopsies to determine cause of death.
Abstract
Virtual autopsies provide a noninvasive way of determining cause of death. This is especially useful in cases involving religious restrictions or in cases that require an immediate burial. “Virtopsies,” as they are called, originated in Switzerland and Sweden during the early 2000s and are used and researched by the United States Army Forces Institute of Pathology’s Virtual Autopsy Program, established in 2004 to gain information about mortal combat injuries. Since 2005, the U.S. military has scanned and analyzed about 800 bodies killed in war zones in order to determine cause of death and examine the injuries. This information will eventually be used to improve head and body armor and to improve combat casualty care. The process of virtual autopsies is described, which involves either a CT or MRI scan which is then compiled into a single three-dimensional image using processing technology. The final outcome is a navigable three-dimensional full-body image that can be used to analyze the condition of bones, tissues, organs, and blood vessels, providing clues about the cause and manner of death. Aside from one highly publicized case, virtual autopsies have not been used in the United States for civilian purposes. As they become more widespread due to their falling costs, the author expects they will be important in criminal cases, particularly because they are easily transferred to courtrooms and because they offer a less gruesome alternative to traditional autopsy photographs. Exhibits