Abstract
Current methods used in terminal ballistics to determine the volume of temporary cavities created by projectiles in soft tissue simulants (such as ballistic soap) usually involve silicone-casting to obtain the cavity moulds. However, these methods have important drawbacks including their little sensitivity and precision, besides the fact that they are destructive. Imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) might not only overcome those limitations but also offer useful tools for digitally reporting the scientific results. This work accomplished the 3D digital reconstruction of the cavities created by different projectiles in ballistic soap blocks. This way, the total volume of the cavities, the projectile penetration depths, and other measurements were determined, rendering better capabilities when compared to the current silicone method. All these features were achieved through the CT analysis and 3D Slicer imaging software. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the method can preserve the evidence by digitally obtaining, signing, and storing the infographic videos displaying the 3D-reconstructed cavities.
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Acknowledgements
Authors thank the support of Fermín Abad Fernandez-Cañadas and his colleagues from Guardia Civil for making the shots, the colleagues from the Military Veterinary Centre for performing the CT analysis, and Víctor Toledo González for the contacts that helped getting access to the CT equipment. Félix Zapata also thanks the University of Alcala for his postdoctoral research fellowship.
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- Bibliographic review: I. Burgos-Díez, F. Zapata, G. Montalvo, and F. Ortega-Ojeda
- Shots: M.J. Ruano-Rando and J.L. Ferrando-Gil
- Silicone-casting: I. Burgos-Díez, M.J. Ruano-Rando, and J.L. Ferrando-Gil
- CT scanning: M.J. Chamorro-Sancho
- Data processing: I. Burgos-Díez, F. Zapata, and F. Ortega-Ojeda
- Discussion of results: All authors
- Writing and revision of the manuscript: All authors
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Burgos-Díez, I., Zapata, F., Chamorro-Sancho, M.J. et al. Comparison between computed tomography and silicone-casting methods to determine gunshot cavities in ballistic soap. Int J Legal Med 135, 829–836 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02464-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02464-0