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Methods for determining time of death.
- Source :
-
Forensic science, medicine, and pathology [Forensic Sci Med Pathol] 2016 Dec; Vol. 12 (4), pp. 451-485. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Jun 04. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Medicolegal death time estimation must estimate the time since death reliably. Reliability can only be provided empirically by statistical analysis of errors in field studies. Determining the time since death requires the calculation of measurable data along a time-dependent curve back to the starting point. Various methods are used to estimate the time since death. The current gold standard for death time estimation is a previously established nomogram method based on the two-exponential model of body cooling. Great experimental and practical achievements have been realized using this nomogram method. To reduce the margin of error of the nomogram method, a compound method was developed based on electrical and mechanical excitability of skeletal muscle, pharmacological excitability of the iris, rigor mortis, and postmortem lividity. Further increasing the accuracy of death time estimation involves the development of conditional probability distributions for death time estimation based on the compound method. Although many studies have evaluated chemical methods of death time estimation, such methods play a marginal role in daily forensic practice. However, increased precision of death time estimation has recently been achieved by considering various influencing factors (i.e., preexisting diseases, duration of terminal episode, and ambient temperature). Putrefactive changes may be used for death time estimation in water-immersed bodies. Furthermore, recently developed technologies, such as H magnetic resonance spectroscopy, can be used to quantitatively study decompositional changes. This review addresses the gold standard method of death time estimation in forensic practice and promising technological and scientific developments in the field.
- Subjects :
- Body Temperature physiology
Body Weight physiology
Electric Stimulation
Gastrointestinal Contents
Heart Arrest physiopathology
Humans
Iris physiology
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Miotics pharmacology
Models, Biological
Muscle, Skeletal physiology
Mydriatics pharmacology
Oculomotor Muscles drug effects
Potassium metabolism
Rigor Mortis pathology
Time Factors
Urea metabolism
Vitreous Body metabolism
Forensic Medicine methods
Postmortem Changes
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1556-2891
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Forensic science, medicine, and pathology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27259559
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-016-9776-y