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Diagnostics
Special Issues
New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis
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New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 8098

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stavroula A. Papadodima

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: forensics; autopsy; forensic medicine; forensic pathology; toxicology; forensic toxicology; drugs; clinical forensic medicine
Dr. Laurent Martrille

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Interests: forensics, clinical forensic medicine, forensic anthropology; physical anthropology; forensic medicine; legal medicine; bone research; age estimation, forensic pathology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new Special Issue, entitled "New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis”.

Diagnostic methods (toxicological, histological, bacteriological examinations, etc.) are necessary when an autopsy is inconclusive regarding the cause of death or if a question of a contributing factor in the occurrence of death arises. Toxicological examinations are in many countries mandatory in violent deaths, whereas radiological examinations (X-rays and CT scans) have progressively been incorporated into the routine of forensic practice. Several scientific areas are also involved in estimating the time of death and identifying a body, such as anthropology, odontology, radiology, entomology, and genetics.

Furthermore, diagnostic examinations are of paramount importance in forensic clinical medicine. The genetic profile of the perpetrator in cases of sexual violence can be achieved if a timely sampling is performed during the forensic clinical examination. Drug detection in the biological fluids or the hair of the victim may offer the only evidence in cases of drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Radiological and dental examinations are also necessary for age estimation in living people, especially in the context of the large wave of immigration during the last decades.

Recently, molecular autopsy has been highlighted as a substantial approach for establishing a genetic diagnosis in cases of “negative” autopsy. Sophisticated and promising methods and diagnostic strategies (biomarkers, proteomics, metabolomics, genomics, etc.) and their usefulness in forensic practice are also under exploration.

It is consequently obvious that a multidisciplinary and integrated approach is of paramount importance in the forensic investigation of a considerable number of cases, especially in light of the rapid scientific and technological progress. Groups from all related specialties and fields are encouraged to submit original research, short reports, reviews, commentaries, and case reports/case studies that provide new insights into the above related issues. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Stavroula A. Papadodima
Dr. Laurent Martrille
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • abuse
  • alcohol
  • autopsy
  • ballistics
  • brain injury
  • cause of death
  • drug-facilitated sexual assault
  • drugs
  • forensic anthropology
  • forensic clinical examination
  • forensic engineering
  • forensic entomology
  • forensic microbiology
  • forensic odontology
  • Forensic pathology
  • genetics
  • histopathology
  • identification of the body
  • molecular biology
  • multidisciplinary approach
  • post mortem interval
  • post-mortem biochemical analysis
  • postmortem CT
  • postmortem immunohistochemistry
  • postmortem MRI
  • rape
  • reconstruction of trauma
  • sepsis
  • toxicology
  • virtopsy

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2617 KiB  
Article
Videoautopsy—A Minimally Invasive Autopsy Method Using Endoscopic Techniques in Forensic Medicine: Clinical Features
by Paweł Świderski, Szymon Rzepczyk, Beata Bożek and Czesław Żaba
Diagnostics 2024, 14(9), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14090884 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 231
Abstract
In light of falling global autopsy rates, one of the causes of which is the resulting body disfigurement, it has become crucial to search for new, minimally invasive post-mortem diagnostic tools. One of these methods is videoautopsy, a minimally invasive autopsy technique using [...] Read more.
In light of falling global autopsy rates, one of the causes of which is the resulting body disfigurement, it has become crucial to search for new, minimally invasive post-mortem diagnostic tools. One of these methods is videoautopsy, a minimally invasive autopsy technique using endoscopic methods. In the years 2020–2023, 15 videoautopsies were conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in order to determine the usefulness of the method in forensic approaches. Each post-mortem examination included laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, followed by a classic autopsy to assess the effectiveness of the method. In total, the endoscopic examination allowed for determining the cause of death in 53.3% of cases, and when the cause of death was located in the abdominal cavity or chest, the percentage increased to 80%. Traumatic lesions had good recognition efficiency. In addition, it was also possible to collect material for histopathological and toxicological tests. Retroperitoneal organs were difficult to assess. The main limitation of the method is the inability to assess the inside of the skull and the structures of the central nervous system. Videoautopsy may become an important tool in post-mortem diagnostics and in forensic cases, especially when the alternative is to not perform an autopsy. Further research is necessary to standardise the examination protocol, optimise the instrumentation, and assess the potential synergistic effect with other methods of minimally and non-invasive post-mortem examination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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15 pages, 11385 KiB  
Article
Advanced Diagnostic Tools in Hypothermia-Related Fatalities—A Pathological Perspective
by Andreea Alexandra Hleșcu, Adriana Grigoraș, Victor Ianole and Cornelia Amalinei
Diagnostics 2024, 14(7), 739; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14070739 - 30 Mar 2024
Viewed by 499
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Although classical gross features are known in hypothermia victims, they lack specific diagnosis features. The aim of our study was to reveal specific brain and lung pathological features in a group of hypothermia-related fatalities. Materials and Methods: The study group [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Although classical gross features are known in hypothermia victims, they lack specific diagnosis features. The aim of our study was to reveal specific brain and lung pathological features in a group of hypothermia-related fatalities. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 107 cases from our files associated with hypothermia. Routine hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining and postmortem immunohistochemistry were performed. Results: The microscopic cerebral exam revealed diffuse perineuronal and perivascular edema, gliosis, mononuclear cell infiltration, acute brain injuries, focal neuronal ischemia, lacunar infarction, and variable hemorrhages. Variable alveolar edema, pulmonary emphysema, intra-alveolar and/or pleural hemorrhage, and bronchopneumonia, as well as other pre-existing lesions, were identified in lung tissue samples. Glial cells displayed S100β expression, while neurons showed moderate Hsp70 immunopositivity. Alveolar basal membranes exhibited diffuse ICAM-1 positive expression, while ICAM-1 and AQP-1 positivity was observed in the alveolar septum vascular endothelium. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between S100β and Hps70 immunoexpression and cerebral pathological features, between ICAM-1 immunoexpression and alveolar edema and pulmonary emphysema, and between AQP-1 immunoexpression and pulmonary emphysema. Conclusions: Our results add supplementary data to brain and lung pathological findings in hypothermia-related fatalities, with potential therapeutic value in hypothermia patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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13 pages, 1617 KiB  
Article
Increased Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Heart Characteristics Are Correlated with BMI and Predict Silent Myocardial Infarction in Sudden Cardiac Death Subjects: An Autopsy Study
by Timur Hogea, Nagy Noemi, Bogdan Andrei Suciu, Klara Brinzaniuc, Laura Chinezu, Emil Marian Arbănași, Réka Kaller, Cosmin Carașca, Eliza Mihaela Arbănași, Vlad Vunvulea, Ioana Hălmaciu, Adrian Vasile Mureșan, Eliza Russu, Claudiu Constantin Ciucanu, Casandra Maria Radu and Corina Carmen Radu
Diagnostics 2023, 13(13), 2157; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13132157 - 24 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1106
Abstract
Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant global public health issue and the leading cause of death worldwide. Its etiopathogenesis is complex and multilayered, involving dynamic factors interacting with a preexistent cardiovascular pathology, frequently unknown, and resulting in cardiac rhythm disorders and [...] Read more.
Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant global public health issue and the leading cause of death worldwide. Its etiopathogenesis is complex and multilayered, involving dynamic factors interacting with a preexistent cardiovascular pathology, frequently unknown, and resulting in cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiac arrest; Methods: This study conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis over a one-year period, identifying 321 autopsy cases of sudden deaths from the Institute of Legal Medicine in Mures County, Romania, in 2019. From the 321 sudden death cases, 189 autopsy reports were selected for analysis based on inclusion and exclusion; Results: The autopsies had a mean age of 61.16 years and included 140 males and 49 females. No significant differences were found between the silent myocardial infarction (SMI) and no-SMI groups regarding demographic data. The SMI group exhibited higher thickness of LV (left ventricle), IV (interventricular septum), EAT LCx (epicardial adipose tissue at left circumflex artery), EAT LAD (epicardial adipose tissue at left anterior descending artery), heart weight, and BMI (body mass index). The left coronary artery showed a higher incidence of type V plaques, while the right coronary artery showed higher incidences of type V and type VI plaque. The SMI group also exhibited a higher incidence of moderate and severe valvular atherosclerosis, severe left ventricle dilatation, and a lower incidence of mild left ventricle dilatation. In addition, the SMI group showed a higher presence of contraction band necrosis on histological examination. Multivariate analysis revealed that type V and type VI plaques for the right and left coronary arteries, moderate and severe valvular atherosclerosis, severe left ventricle dilatation, heart weight, EAT LCx, EAT LAD, LV thickness, IV thickness, BMI, and the presence of contraction band necrosis are all independent predictors of SMI; Conclusions: The findings suggest that SCD is a complex condition, and its etiopathogenesis involves dynamic factors interacting with pre-existing cardiovascular pathology. The risk factors of SCD are similar to those of ischemic heart disease. The findings of this study could guide clinicians in identifying patients at risk of SCD and implementing preventive measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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11 pages, 589 KiB  
Article
Age Estimation in 0–8-Year-Old Children in France: Comparison of One Skeletal and Five Dental Methods
by Laurent Martrille, Stavroula Papadodima, Cristina Venegoni, Nicolas Molinari, Daniele Gibelli, Eric Baccino and Cristina Cattaneo
Diagnostics 2023, 13(6), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13061042 - 09 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1415
Abstract
Age estimation in juveniles is a critical procedure in judicial cases for verification of imputability or for civil reasons when adopting children. Several methods based both on skeletal and dental growth have been performed and applied on different populations; nevertheless, few articles have [...] Read more.
Age estimation in juveniles is a critical procedure in judicial cases for verification of imputability or for civil reasons when adopting children. Several methods based both on skeletal and dental growth have been performed and applied on different populations; nevertheless, few articles have compared different methods in order to test their reliability in different conditions and age ranges, and this is a clear obstacle in the creation of common guidelines for age estimation in the living. A comparison of five dental methods (Anderson, Ubelaker, Schour and Massler, Gustafson and Koch, Demirjian) and one skeletal method (Greulich a Pyle atlas) was performed on a population of 94 children aged between 0 and 8 years. Results showed that, whereas under 2 years all the methods have the same inaccuracy, over 2 years the diagram methods, such as Schour and Massler and Ubelaker’s revised one, have a lower error range than the most frequently used Greulich and Pyle atlas and Demirjian method. Schour and Massler, Gustafson and Koch, and Ubelaker methods showed, respectively, a mean error amounting to 0.40, 0.53, and 0.56 years versus the 0.74 and 0.88 years given by Demirjian and the Greulich and Pyle atlas. An in-depth analysis of the potential of several methods is necessary in order to reach a higher adherence of age estimation with the complexity of growth dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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Review

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14 pages, 3078 KiB  
Review
An Update on Myocarditis in Forensic Pathology
by Jessica Falleti, Pasquale Orabona, Maurizio Municinò, Gianluca Castellaro, Giovanna Fusco and Gelsomina Mansueto
Diagnostics 2024, 14(7), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14070760 - 03 Apr 2024
Viewed by 621
Abstract
In forensic medicine, myocarditis is a complicated topic in the context of sudden death and medical malpractice. A good knowledge of the etiopathology, histopathology, and available literature are both indispensable and essential for the correct management and evaluation of the causal link. Some [...] Read more.
In forensic medicine, myocarditis is a complicated topic in the context of sudden death and medical malpractice. A good knowledge of the etiopathology, histopathology, and available literature are both indispensable and essential for the correct management and evaluation of the causal link. Some agents, which are rarely lethal for humans, are not necessarily related to death from myocarditis, even if an infection in other organs such as the gastrointestinal tract is documented. The diagnosis of the causes of death is often difficult and confusing. In some cases, the hypothetical diagnosis of myocarditis as the cause of death is formulated by deduction, causing error and misleading the correct temporal evaluation of pathological events. We reviewed the literature realizing that histomorphological data are scarce and often poorly documented. Only after COVID-19 have the histomorphological aspects of myocarditis been better documented. This is due to poor autopsy practice and poor accuracy in identifying the specific histotype of myocarditis with identification of the responsible agent. We believe that four points are essential for a better understanding and complete diagnosis of the disease: (1) clinical classification of myocarditis; (2) etiological classification of myocarditis; (3) pathophysiology of viral and bacterial infections with host response; and (4) histopathological diagnosis with precise identification of the histotype and pathogen. In the review we provide histological images from authoritative scientific references with the aim of providing useful information and food for thought to readers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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16 pages, 2233 KiB  
Review
A Virtual, 3D Multimodal Approach to Victim and Crime Scene Reconstruction
by Chiara Villa, Niels Lynnerup and Christina Jacobsen
Diagnostics 2023, 13(17), 2764; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13172764 - 25 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1857
Abstract
In the last two decades, forensic pathology and crime scene investigations have seen a rapid increase in examination tools due to the implementation of several imaging techniques, e.g., CT and MR scanning, surface scanning and photogrammetry. These tools encompass relatively simple visualization tools [...] Read more.
In the last two decades, forensic pathology and crime scene investigations have seen a rapid increase in examination tools due to the implementation of several imaging techniques, e.g., CT and MR scanning, surface scanning and photogrammetry. These tools encompass relatively simple visualization tools to powerful instruments for performing virtual 3D crime scene reconstructions. A multi-modality and multiscale approach to a crime scene, where 3D models of victims and the crime scene are combined, offers several advantages. A permanent documentation of all evidence in a single 3D environment can be used during the investigation phases (e.g., for testing hypotheses) or during the court procedures (e.g., to visualize the scene and the victim in a more intuitive manner). Advanced computational approaches to understand what might have happened during a crime can also be applied by, e.g., performing a virtual animation of the victim in the actual context, which can provide important information about possible dynamics during the event. Here, we present an overview of the different techniques and modalities used in forensic pathology in conjunction with crime scene investigations. Based on our experiences, the advantages and challenges of an image-based multi-modality approach will be discussed, including how their use may introduce new visualization modalities in court, e.g., virtual reality (VR) and 3D printing. Finally, considerations about future directions in research will be mentioned. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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Other

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12 pages, 281 KiB  
Perspective
Artificial Intelligence and Diagnostics in Medicine and Forensic Science
by Thomas Lefèvre and Laurent Tournois
Diagnostics 2023, 13(23), 3554; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13233554 - 28 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1461
Abstract
Diagnoses in forensic science cover many disciplinary and technical fields, including thanatology and clinical forensic medicine, as well as all the disciplines mobilized by these two major poles: criminalistics, ballistics, anthropology, entomology, genetics, etc. A diagnosis covers three major interrelated concepts: a categorization [...] Read more.
Diagnoses in forensic science cover many disciplinary and technical fields, including thanatology and clinical forensic medicine, as well as all the disciplines mobilized by these two major poles: criminalistics, ballistics, anthropology, entomology, genetics, etc. A diagnosis covers three major interrelated concepts: a categorization of pathologies (the diagnosis); a space of signs or symptoms; and the operation that makes it possible to match a set of signs to a category (the diagnostic approach). The generalization of digitization in all sectors of activity—including forensic science, the acculturation of our societies to data and digital devices, and the development of computing, storage, and data analysis capacities—constitutes a favorable context for the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can intervene in the three terms of diagnosis: in the space of pathological categories, in the space of signs, and finally in the operation of matching between the two spaces. Its intervention can take several forms: it can improve the performance (accuracy, reliability, robustness, speed, etc.) of the diagnostic approach, better define or separate known diagnostic categories, or better associate known signs. But it can also bring new elements, beyond the mere improvement of performance: AI takes advantage of any data (data here extending the concept of symptoms and classic signs, coming either from the five senses of the human observer, amplified or not by technical means, or from complementary examination tools, such as imaging). Through its ability to associate varied and large-volume data sources, but also its ability to uncover unsuspected associations, AI may redefine diagnostic categories, use new signs, and implement new diagnostic approaches. We present in this article how AI is already mobilized in forensic science, according to an approach that focuses primarily on improving current techniques. We also look at the issues related to its generalization, the obstacles to its development and adoption, and the risks related to the use of AI in forensic diagnostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Forensic Diagnosis)
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