Forensic Evidence Analysis

Anything that can be used in a court of law is referred to as forensics. Forensics can be any scientific test that can prove a connection to a crime. The information obtained in any test must be admissible in a court of law. There are many branches of forensic sciences; one branch that is not well known is forensic radiography, or forensic imaging. “Conducting examinations that use ionizing radiation to gather and analyze forensic evidence constitutes forensic radiography” (ASRT. (2010).).

Radiography uses ionizing radiation to capture images of bones and soft tissue. When these images are taken in conjunction with a crime, they become forensic evidence. Forensic images are not only limited to postmortem victims. These images can be used in

All images taken by a technologist must be taken with the assumption that one day they can be used in a court of law. Radiographic images can be used to determine a person’s age or injury. Images can also be used to determine foreign objects, like contraband, inside of a person.

The first case of applying forensic radiography occurred in 1896, in Canada. A man was shot by his friend in the leg and radiographic imaging was used to locate the bullet. The radiograph showed the bullet fragments lodged between the man’s tibia and fibula. This information put away a man for attempted murder. This case started the acceptance of findings on radiographic images as valid evidence in a court of law.

On June 15, 1895 Mr. James Smith fell from a ladder while pruning a tree; Mr. Smith injured his hip. After waiting almost one month after his injury, Mr. Smith consulted with Dr. W. W. Grant. Mr. Grant gave Mr. Smith a diagnosis of “no fracture”. “Dr. Grant heard no more about Mr. Smith until April 1896, when the poorly paid law clerk engaged two of the best young lawyers in Colorado to file a $10,000 civil action against Dr. Grant, claiming limb shortening and disability as a result of his failure to diagnose a femoral fracture” (Barnard Health Care. (2012, November 5).). Mr. Smith, along with his attorneys, took advantage of the new technology of radiographic images. They enlisted the help of a “photojournalist”, to

It utilizes scanning and imaging in order to get a better view of the body. The most common modalities used in virtual autopsies are Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging. These tests are performed differently on postmortem patients then they would be for someone who was living. Special considerations must be met with using CT and MR. Due to the fact that a postmortem body has decreased body tissue and fluid, different technical factors must be used, as well as different positioning.

“Conventional radiography remains the most common modality used in the forensics setting and equipment ranges from a simple mobile unit to a more advanced fixed radiographic unit” (Reynolds, A. (2010).). Gunshot wounds are the most common cause of homicide in the United States, therefore the use of forensic radiography becomes important. With the use of radiographic images, the beveling of bones from bullet wounds can be analyzed. Entrance and exit wounds of a bullet can also be determined. Ultimately with advancement in technology, a simple CT scan can determine the path of a