Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains
It is challenging to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains within a forensic context. As a result of their interactions with the environment, bones undergo several chemical and physical changes after death. So far, multiple methods have been used to follow up on post-mortem cha...
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1105 |
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| author | Verena-Maria Schmidt Philipp Zelger Claudia Woess Anton K. Pallua Rohit Arora Gerald Degenhart Andrea Brunner Bettina Zelger Michael Schirmer Walter Rabl Johannes D. Pallua |
| author_facet | Verena-Maria Schmidt Philipp Zelger Claudia Woess Anton K. Pallua Rohit Arora Gerald Degenhart Andrea Brunner Bettina Zelger Michael Schirmer Walter Rabl Johannes D. Pallua |
| author_sort | Verena-Maria Schmidt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is challenging to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains within a forensic context. As a result of their interactions with the environment, bones undergo several chemical and physical changes after death. So far, multiple methods have been used to follow up on post-mortem changes. There is, however, no definitive way to estimate the PMI of skeletal remains. This research aimed to propose a methodology capable of estimating the PMI using micro-computed tomography measurements of 104 human skeletal remains with PMIs between one day and 2000 years. The present study indicates that micro-computed tomography could be considered an objective and precise method of PMI evaluation in forensic medicine. The measured parameters show a significant difference regarding the PMI for Cort Porosity <i>p</i> < 0.001, BV/TV <i>p</i> > 0.001, Mean1 <i>p</i> > 0.001 and Mean2 <i>p</i> > 0.005. Using a machine learning approach, the neural network showed an accuracy of 99% for distinguishing between samples with a PMI of less than 100 years and archaeological samples. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:52:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f9b63aedf2a4a50837a29347559054e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:52:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f9b63aedf2a4a50837a29347559054e2023-11-30T23:12:45ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-07-01118110510.3390/biology11081105Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal RemainsVerena-Maria Schmidt0Philipp Zelger1Claudia Woess2Anton K. Pallua3Rohit Arora4Gerald Degenhart5Andrea Brunner6Bettina Zelger7Michael Schirmer8Walter Rabl9Johannes D. Pallua10Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity Clinic for Hearing, Voice and Speech Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaFormer Institute for Computed Tomography-Neuro CT, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Pathology, Neuropathology, Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Pathology, Neuropathology, Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Clinic II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaIt is challenging to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains within a forensic context. As a result of their interactions with the environment, bones undergo several chemical and physical changes after death. So far, multiple methods have been used to follow up on post-mortem changes. There is, however, no definitive way to estimate the PMI of skeletal remains. This research aimed to propose a methodology capable of estimating the PMI using micro-computed tomography measurements of 104 human skeletal remains with PMIs between one day and 2000 years. The present study indicates that micro-computed tomography could be considered an objective and precise method of PMI evaluation in forensic medicine. The measured parameters show a significant difference regarding the PMI for Cort Porosity <i>p</i> < 0.001, BV/TV <i>p</i> > 0.001, Mean1 <i>p</i> > 0.001 and Mean2 <i>p</i> > 0.005. Using a machine learning approach, the neural network showed an accuracy of 99% for distinguishing between samples with a PMI of less than 100 years and archaeological samples.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1105post-mortem intervalmicro-CTmachine learning |
| spellingShingle | Verena-Maria Schmidt Philipp Zelger Claudia Woess Anton K. Pallua Rohit Arora Gerald Degenhart Andrea Brunner Bettina Zelger Michael Schirmer Walter Rabl Johannes D. Pallua Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains Biology post-mortem interval micro-CT machine learning |
| title | Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains |
| title_full | Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains |
| title_fullStr | Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains |
| title_short | Application of Micro-Computed Tomography for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval of Human Skeletal Remains |
| title_sort | application of micro computed tomography for the estimation of the post mortem interval of human skeletal remains |
| topic | post-mortem interval micro-CT machine learning |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1105 |
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