Computerized Image Analysis in Differentiation of Skin Lesions Caused by Electrocution, Flame Burns, and Abrasion

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.

Potential Applications of Digital Pathology and Image Analysis for Forensic Pathology

“…This work has mostly focused on image analysis of histologic sections rather than gross forensic images. Studies have been conducted utilizing morphometric measurements of histologic sections of skin to distinguish electrical burns, thermal burns and abrasions (6, 7) and of lung sections in an attempt to determine deaths from asphyxia (8). In another study, a combination of macroscopic and microscopic quantitative methods was successful in determining the distance range of gunshot wounds (9).…”