Computerized Image Analysis in Differentiation of Skin Lesions Caused by Electrocution, Flame Burns, and Abrasion
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, vol.54, no.6, pp.1419-1422, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 54 Issue: 6
- Publication Date: 2009
- Doi Number: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01155.x
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.1419-1422
- Keywords: forensic medicine, computerized image analysis, electrocution, flame burns, abrasion, autopsy, ELECTRICAL INJURY, MECHANISM
- Akdeniz University Affiliated: No
Abstract
In the practice of forensic science, sometimes, it is not easy to understand whether skin lesion is due to electrocution and to differentiate the thermal burns and abrasion-type lesions, especially when electricity source cannot be revealed by death science investigation. Based on the causes of the lesions, cases were classified into three groups. Group 1 included 30 deaths from electrocution. Group 2 included 30 deaths with flame burns. Group 3 included 30 deaths from traffic accident cases, which had abrasions. In this study, epidermal nuclear area, perimeter, nuclear form factor, nuclear minimum axes, nuclear maximum axes, and minimum axes/maximum axes ratio were measured. As a result, we think that computerized image analysis beside light microscopic examination can be useful in the differentiation of the electrocution, flame burn, and abrasion type lesions.