Application of 4D imaging and compter graphics in the region of forensic pathology

计算机技术的最新进展已经允许在三维（3D）或四维（4D）空间对人体内部解剖结构进行定量分析。为了进行各种法医技术，如身体部位的损伤检查或非破坏性测量，3D和4D成像被应用。此外，该方法可以通过三维和四维模拟来估计死亡原因。在子弹伤口分析的案例中，我们利用这个模拟系统来准确地确定子弹的路径。通常x射线摄影或肉眼观察不能提供三维结构体数据的空间精度。因此，经过一些实验试验，我们开发了一种3D成像方法来识别子弹穿透真实大脑的路径。在由一系列x射线CT数据集重建的三维脑图像中，可以清楚地观察到子弹的路径和脑内骨折的分布。通过CT扫描，还可以看到附着在骨折骨上的金属子弹碎片。三维成像也应用于刺伤分析。仅凭尸体解剖的结果很难确定造成穿透性伤口的武器。因此，我们研究了是否有可能通过3D成像可视化身体组织中穿透伤口的位置和大小，并预测使用的武器类型。我们创建了一个实验案例来开发这种伤口穿透分析的可视化技术。作为实验模型，用各种刀具刺穿猪的肝脏。在各肝创口处注射造影剂。然后，用CT测量肝脏的连续切片图像。通过旋转体轴上的三维图像，观察肝组织中伤口的形状和方向。此外，由于造影剂从伤口的开口进入血管，被武器切开的肝脏血管也被显示出来。被武器切断的血管状况可以表明死因，并有助于估计出血量。为了对旧病例进行回顾性分析或为培训和教育提供材料，我们将研究的图像数据存档。受试者的形态信息和3D和4D图像都存储在可访问的数字数据中。为我们的医学研究项目制作的图像数据库将对法医学的未来证明是无价的。少

Recent advances in computer technology have allowed for quantitative analysis of internal human anatomical structures in three dimensional (3D) or four dimensional (4D) space. In order to perform various forensic medical technques such as injury inspection or non destructive measurements of body parts 3D and 4D imaging were applied. In addition, this approach could estimate the cause of death using 3D and 4D simulation.In the case of bullet wound analysis, we utilized this simulation system to accurately determine a bullet's pathway. Normally X-ray photography or observations with the naked eye do not provide the spatial accuracy available from 3D structural body data. Therefore, after some experimental trials, we developed a 3D imaging method to identify the pathway of a bullet that had penetrated an actual brain. In the 3D brain image reconstructed from a serial X-ray CT data set, the path of the bullet and the distribution of bone fractures in the brain were cleary obsered. By ident … More ifying CT values, metal bullet fragments that adhered to fractured bone could also be visualized.3D imaging was also appied to stab wound analysis. Identification of the weapon used to inflict a penetrating wound can be difficult from the results of physical autopsy alone. Therefore, we examined whether it was possible to visualize the location and size of penetrating wounds in body tissue with 3D imaging, and predict the type of weapon used. We createan experimental case to develop a visualization technique for this wound penetration analysis. As an experimental model, the livers of pigs were penetrated with various knives. Contrast media was injected into the wound entrance of each liver. Then, the liver was measured by CT as serial section images. Both the shape and the direction of the wound in the liver tissue were observed by rotating the 3D image on the body axis. Futhermore, vessels in the liver cut by the weapon were also visualized, because the contrast media entered the vessels from the opening at the wound. The condition of vessels severed by the weapon could indicate the cause of death and helped estimate the amount of bleeding.In order to perform a retrospective analysis of old cases or provide material for training and education we archived the image data of our research. Both the subject's morphological information and 3D and 4D images are stored on accessible digital data. The image database produced for our medicine research project will prove invaluable for the future of forensic medicine. Less