Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 14;12(1):5997. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26318-4.
Determining the time since death, i.e., post-mortem interval (PMI), often plays a key role in forensic investigations. The current standard PMI-estimation method empirically correlates rectal temperatures and PMIs, frequently necessitating subjective correction factors. To overcome this, we previously developed a thermodynamic finite-difference (TFD) algorithm, providing a rigorous method to simulate post-mortem temperatures of bodies assuming a straight posture. However, in forensic practice, bodies are often found in non-straight postures, potentially limiting applicability of this algorithm in these cases. Here, we develop an individualised approach, enabling PMI reconstruction for bodies in arbitrary postures, by combining photogrammetry and TFD modelling. Utilising thermal photogrammetry, this approach also represents the first non-contact method for PMI reconstruction. The performed lab and crime scene validations reveal PMI reconstruction accuracies of 0.26 h ± 1.38 h for true PMIs between 2 h and 35 h and total procedural durations of ~15 min. Together, these findings broaden the potential applicability of TFD-based PMI reconstruction.
确定死亡时间，即死后间隔时间（PMI），在法医学调查中通常起着关键作用。目前的 PMI 估计标准方法通过经验将直肠温度与 PMI 相关联，通常需要主观的校正因素。为了克服这一问题，我们之前开发了一种热力学有限差分（TFD）算法，为假设直立体姿的尸体提供了一种严格的模拟死后体温的方法。然而，在法医学实践中，经常会发现尸体处于非直立体姿，这可能会限制该算法在这些情况下的适用性。在这里，我们通过结合摄影测量学和 TFD 建模，开发了一种个体方法，能够为任意姿势的尸体重建 PMI。该方法利用热摄影测量法，代表了 PMI 重建的首个非接触方法。实验室和犯罪现场的验证表明，对于 2 小时至 35 小时之间的真实 PMI，该方法的 PMI 重建精度为 0.26 小时±1.38 小时，总程序耗时约 15 分钟。总的来说，这些发现拓宽了基于 TFD 的 PMI 重建的潜在适用性。
