Radiological Approaches in Legal Medicine: Strategies for Human Identification in Forensic Cases

Abstract

Legal Medicine applies medical principles in the legal field and Forensic Anthropology is essential for the identification of unknown individuals. In this field, imaging techniques have gained prominence due to technological advancements, emerging as crucial tools in human identification, especially in mass disasters. The objective of this study was to review the use of radiological techniques in forensic identification of corpses. The methodology included the analysis of 22 full articles, published between 2007 and 2023, in Portuguese, English, German, and Spanish, found in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The results showed that the techniques used include traditional and dental radiographs, computed tomography (CT), angiography, and post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Besides their applicability in human identification, these techniques are useful for performing 2D and 3D craniofacial reconstructions and identifying injuries. In conclusion, imaging techniques are promising in forensic identification as they offer a minimally invasive method and complement, but do not replace, conventional autopsies. However, they face challenges such as a lack of standardization and high costs.

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