The role of PMCT in firearm injuries. Case study.

Background: The use of radiological approaches in forensic investigations is rapidly emerging as an alternative to traditional autopsies. Here, we present the experience of the Sicilian and Calabrian forensic medical departments over the past five years, highlighting the application of PMCT to support autopsies in cases involving gunshot wound victims. Materials and Methods: From January 2020 to March 2024, thirty cadavers who died from gunshot wounds underwent total body PMCT examinations followed by autopsies. The examinations included multi-planar and 3D reconstructions. Data collected for each subject included gender, age, mode of death, type of weapon, number of shots, body sites affected, and presence of retained bullets. A team of two radiologists and two forensic physicians evaluated the images and compared them with the autopsy findings. Conclusion: PMCT and 3D reconstruction enabled evaluation of entry wounds, fracture margins, injury sites, fragments, and anatomical trajectories. The results from PMCT were compared with autopsy findings in terms of entry wounds, wound channels, foreign bodies, organ and skeletal injuries, and causes of death. PMCT showed concordance with autopsy findings in determining the cause of death in all cases. The speed, non-invasiveness, and ability to manipulate and reconstruct data make PMCT an ideal technique for supporting forensic investigations and autopsies. PMCT is highly reliable for accurately identifying lethal wounds and determining the cause of death. It excels at tracking wound paths, distinguishing entrance and exit wounds, locating retained bullets, and detecting fragmentation and dispersion of ballistic components.

Musket ball injuries to the head - Experimental CT-study.

A smoothbore musket firing a round ball was the primary weapon of the infantry from the 16th to mid 19th century. Musket ball injuries are thus relatively common when archaeological remains of battlefield victims from that period are studied. Several experimental studies have focused on terminal ballistics of a musket ball. In addition, there is a good supply of historical records directly from the battlefield and military hospitals. Studies and historical records have both concluded that head injuries are among the most lethal types of musket ball damage. In this study we utilized modern day research methods, including Synbone ballistic skull phantoms and computed tomography (CT) imaging, to examine more closely the head injuries and tissue damage caused by a musket ball. We were especially interested to observe how different musket ball velocities and shooting distances would influence bone and soft tissue defects. Our experiments clearly demonstrated that musket ball was a lethal projectile even from a longer distance. Already at low velocities, the musket ball perforated through the skull. Velocity also influenced the appearance of entrance and exit wounds. CT imaging provided us with a three-dimensional view of the wound channel, skull fragments and lead remnants inside the skull phantom. According to our findings, musket ball velocity influenced defect size and cavitation. In addition, velocity influenced the size and distribution of skull fragments and lead remnants in the wound channel. Combining all these aspects could aid us in studies of archaeological musket ball victims. In particular, they could help us to estimate the shooting distance and shed light on the potential course of events in the battlefield.

Skin simulants for wound ballistic investigation - an experimental study.

Gunshot wound analysis is an important part of medicolegal practice, in both autopsies and examinations of living persons. Well-established and studied simulants exist that exhibit both physical and biomechanical properties of soft-tissues and bones. Current research literature on ballistic wounds focuses on the biomechanical properties of skin simulants. In our extensive experimental study, we tested numerous synthetic and natural materials, regarding their macromorphological bullet impact characteristics, and compared these data with those from real bullet injuries gathered from medicolegal practice. Over thirty varieties of potential skin simulants were shot perpendicularly, and at 45°, at a distance of 10 m and 0.3 m, using full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles (9 × 19 mm Luger). Simulants included ballistic gelatine at various concentrations, dental silicones with several degrees of hardness, alginates, latex, chamois leather, suture trainers for medical training purposes and various material compound models. In addition to complying to the general requirements for a synthetic simulant, results obtained from dental silicones shore hardness 70 (backed with 20 % by mass gelatine), were especially highly comparable to gunshot entry wounds in skin from real cases. Based on these results, particularly focusing on the macroscopically detectable criteria, we can strongly recommend dental silicone shore hardness 70 as a skin simulant for wound ballistics examinations.

New alginate-gelatine method for casting of staining inside firearm barrels.

Contact shots to the head often leave behind biological traces inside firearm barrels, a phenomenon of great forensic interest. Until now, the visualization and preservation of these traces presented a significant challenge, lacking a reliable method. This study addresses this gap by searching for a suitable method to extract the traces within a casting. Using alginate or gelatine as suitable materials, the results were hampered by serious adhesion issues and their extraction out of the firearm barrel was impeded. Finally, the combination of 11% gelatine with 1% alginate, introduced into the barrel around a 'central spine', succeeded to consistently produce replicable castings. Experimental contact shots displayed a distinct staining gradient from the muzzle to the rear of the barrel, as revealed through endoscopy and proved in the macroscopic casting. The technique proved effective for various common handgun barrels and successfully preserved blood and gunshot residue (GSR) patterns within the barrel. This method offers the dual benefits of visually mapping staining patterns and securing localized samples for targeted molecular genetic analysis in forensic investigations.

Ballistic long bone fracture pattern: an experimental study.

When dealing with badly preserved cadavers or skeletal human remains, the assessment of death circumstances remains challenging. When forensic evidence cannot be taken from the skin and soft tissue, the information may only be deduced from more resistant elements such as bone. Compared to cranial gunshot injuries, reliable data on ballistic long bone trauma remains scarce. This study aims to define ballistic fracture characteristics in human long bones. The shaft of 16 femurs and 13 humeri from body donors was perpendicularly shot with a 9-mm Luger full metal jacket bullet at an impact velocity of 360 m/s from a distance of 2 m. Some bones were embedded in Clear Ballistics Gel®, and some were shot without soft tissue simulant in order to better visualise the fracture propagation on the high-speed camera. The fractures were examined macroscopically and compared between the sample groups. We consistently found comminuted fractures with a stellate pattern. Fracture details were classified into entrance, exit and general characteristics. For some traits, we detected different occurrence values in the group comparison. The results indicate that some of the traits depend on bone properties such as shaft diameter, bone length and cortical thickness. The presence of ballistic gel also influenced some fracture traits, emphasising the relevance of soft tissue simulant in osseous gunshot experiments. This study revealed new insights in the detailed fracture pattern of human long bones. These may serve as guidelines for the identification and reconstruction of gunshot trauma in human long bones.

Review of non-penetrating ballistic testing techniques for protection assessment: From biological data to numerical and physical surrogates.

Human surrogates have long been employed to simulate human behaviour, beginning in the automotive industry and now widely used throughout the safety framework to estimate human injury during and after accidents and impacts. In the specific context of blunt ballistics, various methods have been developed to investigate wound injuries, including tissue simulants such as clays or gelatine ballistic, physical dummies and numerical models. However, all of these surrogate entities must be biofidelic, meaning they must accurately represent the biological properties of the human body. This paper provides an overview of physical and numerical surrogates developed specifically for blunt ballistic impacts, including their properties, use and applications. The focus is on their ability to accurately represent the human body in the context of blunt ballistic impact.

Extracorporeal bullet trajectory determination from scanned phantoms with bullet defects.

Shots with two different calibres (0.32 Auto and 9 mm Luger) were fired through phantoms that simulated human torsos, mounted on undercarriages with witness panels. The perforated phantoms were scanned with computed tomography (Siemens) using 80 kV and 140 kV and a slice thickness of 1 mm. The intracorporeal trajectories in the phantoms were compared to the known extracorporeal trajectories, derived from the perforations in witness panels. The discrepancy between the intracorporeal and extracorporeal trajectories, denoted as the absolute angle, was calculated for the trajectories before (front) and after (rear) the phantoms. Mean absolute angles at the front were lower than at the rear (2.27° vs. 4.54°) and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The results of the study imply that the line between the entrance and the exit wound in a scanned victim can be extended to the extracorporeal bullet trajectory leading towards the entrance wound. The absolute angles presented in this study give an impression of the expected errors with the two calibres. This can be helpful in shooting investigations to assess the position of the shooter from entrance and exit wounds in a scanned victim.

Observing the fragmentation of two expanding bullet types and a full metal-jacketed bullet with computed tomography-a forensic ballistics case study.

Computed tomography (CT) may have a crucial role in the forensic documentation and analysis of firearm injuries. The aim of this forensic ballistics case study was to explore whether two types of expanding bullets and a full metal-jacketed bullet could be differentiated by inspecting bullet fragments and fragmentation pattern in CT. Three types of .30 caliber bullets (full metal-jacketed Norma Jaktmatch, expanding full-copper Norma Ecostrike, and expanding soft-point Norma Oryx) were test fired from a distance of 5 m to blocks of 10% ballistic gelatine. CT scans of the blocks were obtained with clinical equipment and metal artifact reduction. Radiopaque fragments were identified and fragmentation parameters were obtained from the scans (total number of fragments, maximum diameter of the largest fragment, distance between entrance and the closest fragment, length of the fragment cloud, and maximum diameters of the fragment cloud). The fragmentation patterns were additionally visualized by means of 3D reconstruction. In CT, the bullet types differed in several fragmentation parameters. While the expanding full-copper bullet Ecostrike left behind only a single fragment near the end of the bullet channel, the soft-point Oryx had hundreds of fragments deposited throughout the channel. For both expanding bullets Ecostrike and Oryx, the fragments were clearly smaller than those left behind by the full metal-jacketed Jaktmatch. This was surprising as the full metal-jacketed bullet was expected to remain intact. The fragment cloud of Jaktmatch had similar mediolateral and superoinferior diameters to that of Oryx; however, fragments were deposited in the second half of the gelatine block, and not throughout the block. This case study provides a basis and potential methodology for further experiments. The findings are expected to benefit forensic practitioners with limited background information on gunshot injury cases, for example, those that involve several potential firearms or atypical gunshot wounds. The findings may prove beneficial for both human and wildlife forensics.

[Features of coarse calico damage by hollow-point bullets of ammunitions to a 12-gauge fire smoothbore weapon (12×70) under the conditions of remote shooting distance]. / Osobennosti povrezhdeniya byazevoi tkani ekspansivnymi pulyami patronov k ognestrel'nomu gladkostvol'nomu oruzhiyu 12-go kalibra (12×70) v usloviyakh neblizkoi distantsii vystrela.

The article presents the experimental study results of damaged clothes imitators' (coarse calico) features in consequence of shot by ammunitions with hollow-point bullet from a 12-gauge fire smoothbore weapon (12×70). The generation mechanism of coarse calico damage during wound of underlying biological human body's imitator by bullet and the factors influencing on mentioned process have been clarified using high-speed video recording.

[Distribution features of gunshot residue from hunting Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z3 carbine on targets]. / Osobennosti raspredeleniya na mishenyakh produktov vystrela iz okhotnich'ego karabina Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z3.

OBJECTIVE: To study the morphology of distribution of shot factors on white targets made of coarse calico at different distances. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 57 experimental damages of targets made of cotton fabric, caused by shots from hunting self-loading Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z3 carbine of.223 Rem caliber. The number of experimental firings equal 19 was done by 3 shots at the distance from close range to 250 cm. The examination of shot targets was carried out using the visual, metric, stereoscopic (Leica 125M microscope) methods, in ultraviolet rays (LUMATEC SUPERLITE M Series light). RESULTS: The nature and morphology of distribution of gunshot residue on targets' surfaces made it possible to establish close range firing zones. The nature in which soot is deposited during shot under the conditions of point-blank range and in the first zone of close range (up to 8 cm) allows to establish the position of weapon's transverse plane relative to the target basing on a specific blowout of a gas-powder jet from special design of flame arrestor. The performed experimental shooting from hunting self-loading Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z3 carbine made it possible to determine the metric and morphological characteristics of the close range firing zones: 1 zone is equal a distance up to 8 cm; 2 zone - up to 30 cm; 3 zone - up to 100 cm from muzzle of weapon. The design features of Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z3 carbine's flame arrestor allow to identify the type of weapon according to the morphological pattern of target's damage. The complex of obtained data makes it possible to determine the firing distance with high accuracy.

Analysis of free-fall bullet injury potential in the cranium via finite elements method.

The aim of this study is to analyze the injury potential of the free-falling bullet in the cranium, which is known as a tired bullet in the public, with the finite element method (FEM) In the study, as penetrant 9 × 19 mm FMJ bullets with vertical falling angle, adult human skull and brain tissue were discussed. The results of the analysis with the Finite element method, which is similar to the cases reported before, revealed that free-falling bullets as a result of shooting into the air can cause fatal injuries.

Lethal head ballistic trauma with a «nonlethal¼ projectile: A case report and review of the literature.

Forensic investigations of cranioencephalic ballistic trauma involve several aspects, including the study of terminal ballistics. This includes the analysis of projectiles and the damage they cause. Although some projectiles are considered "non-lethal", serious injuries and deaths secondary to the use of this type of ammunition have been reported. We report the case of a 37-year-old man who died from ballistic head trauma after the use of "Gomm Cogne" ammunition. A post-mortem computed tomography (CT) showed a right temporal bone defect and seven foreign bodies. Three of these were located in the encephalic parenchyma, which showed diffuse hemorrhagic changes. External examination indicated that this was a contact entry wound and confirmed encephalic involvement. This case illustrates the potential lethality of this type of ammunition with CT and autopsy with similar features to single projectile firearm injuries.

[Impact of projectile incidence angle with obstacle during ricochet on the damage characteristics formed in smoothbore weapon shot]. / Vliyanie ugla vstrechi puli s pregradoi pri rikoshete na kharakteristiku povrezhdenii, obrazuyushchikhsya pri vystrele iz gladkostvol'nogo oruzhiya.

The aim of this study was to establish the degree of projectile incidence angle with obstacle on forensic medical characteristic of gunshot injuries arising from smoothbore weapon fire and bullet ricochet. Based on the comprehensive forensic study results of experimental entry gunshot injuries, statistically significant differences in the following morphological signs were found for two ranges of incidence angle values (10-20° and 30-50°): «Number of MD¼, «Length 1 MD¼, «Length 2 MD¼, «Width 1 MD¼, «Orientation of AD to the conventional clock face relative to MD 1 or to the group of largest MD (max. value)¼. The medians and limits of 99% confidence intervals of these features values were observed depending on the range of incidence angle values. The revealed patterns can be used in expert practice during forensic medical examination of gunshot injuries formed as a result of a projectile ricochet after smoothbore weapon fire, as well as to develop a methodology for conducting a forensic study of this gunshot injury type.

[Main milestones of forensic ballistics history in Russia]. / Osnovnye vekhi istorii sudebno-meditsinskoi ballistiki v Rossii.

The purpose of the scientific work is to outline the main stages of the development of forensic examination of gunshot injuries in Russia. The analysis of the special literature from 1865 to the present time has demonstrated that the issue of forensic examination of gunshot injuries has been analyzed quite deeply by Russian forensic specialists. Meanwhile, expert practice sets forth tasks that are associated with the emergence of new firearm samples and new methods of laboratory and instrumental diagnosis.

Experimental and numerical study on failure mechanisms of bone simulants subjected to projectile impact.

Analyses of the human bones failure mechanisms under projectile impact conditions can be made through performing of a large number of ballistic trials. But the amount of data that can be collected during ballistic experiments is limited due to the high dynamics of the process and its destructive character. Numerical analyses may support experimental methodologies allowing to better understand the principles of the phenomenon. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to create and to verify a numerical model of commercially available synthetic bone material-Synbone®. The model could be used in the future as a supporting tool facilitating forensic studies or designing processes of personal protection systems (helmets, bulletproof vests, etc.). Although Synbone® is commonly used in the ballistic experiments, the literature lacks reliable numerical models of this material. In order to define a numerical model of Synbone®, mechanical experiments characterizing the response of the material to the applied loads in a wide range of strains and strain rates were carried out. Based on the mechanical tests results, an appropriate material model was selected for the Synbone® composite and the values of constants in its equations were determined. Material characterization experiments were subsequently reproduced with numerical simulations and a high correlation of the results was obtained. The final validation of the material model was based on the comparison of the ballistic impact experiments and simulation results. High similarity obtained (relative error lower than 10%) demonstrates that the numerical model of Synbone® material was properly defined.

[Characteristics of the trajectory of projectiles after penetration of biological and non-biological obstacles in shots fired from various types of firearms]. / Kharakteristika traektorii dvizheniya snaryadov posle probitiya biologicheskikh i nebiologicheskikh pregrad pri vystrelakh iz razlichnykh obraztsov ognestrel'nogo oruzhiya.

The purpose of the work was to study the movement trajectory of the projectile after breaking through an obstacle made of various materials installed at various angles to the aiming line when firing from rifled and traumatic weapons. As a result of a series of experimental shots by shells fired from a traumatic pistol «Jorge¼ (9×22 mm RA cartridge with an initial velocity of 300±20 m/s and a bullet weight of 0.7 g) and the Blaser R93 carbine (Norma Jaktmatch 9.3×62 mm hunting cartridge with an initial speed of 765 m/s and a bullet weight of 11 g) it has been found that, when punching both biological simulators and triplex glass located at the angles of 40-60° with respect to the aiming line, a deflection of the firearm from the aiming line is observed.

[Morphological characteristics of gunshot injuries resulting from ricochet depending on type of experimental barrier]. / Morfologicheskaya kharakteristika ognestrel'nykh povrezhdenii, obrazovavshikhsya v rezul'tate rikosheta, v zavisimosti ot vida eksperimental'noi pregrady.

The purpose of this study was to establish a set of distinctive features of the qualitative and quantitative parameters of gunshot injuries resulting from the ricochet of a bullet and buckshot when firing from a smooth-bore weapon, depending on the type of experimental barrier. As a result of the ballistic experiment, a list of statistically significant characteristics of input gunshot injuries of biological and non-biological targets formed when firing with a bullet and buckshot followed by a ricochet was revealed, which will enable to determine the sought type of barrier from the two suggested options: «Concrete 2¼ or «Brick¼, «Concrete 2¼ or «Metal¼, «Brick¼ or «Metal¼. Besides, a list of characteristics of input gunshot injuries has been established, the parameters of which are under statistically significant influence of the type of experimental barrier. The revealed patterns can be used to reconstruct the circumstances of an incident during situational examination depending on the characteristics of input gunshot injuries as a result of a ricochet when firing from a smooth-bore weapon.

[Effect of the target type on the characteristics of gunshot injuries resulting from bullet and shrapnel ricochet]. / Vliyanie vida misheni na kharakteristiku ognestrel'nykh povrezhdenii, obrazuyushchikhsya v rezul'tate rikosheta puli i kartechi.

The study objective is to establish the effect of the type of experimental target (biological, non-biological) on the forensic medical characteristics of gunshot injuries resulting from bullet and shrapnel ricochet when fired from a smooth-bore weapon. Differences in the skin and clothing or their imitators render different morphological patterns of the input gunshot injuries. Based on the results of the ballistic experiment, a list of statistically significant differences in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the input gunshot injuries to biological and non-biological targets as a result of a ricochet when a bullet is fired from a smooth-bore weapon was compiled. In addition, the characteristics of the input gunshot injuries were established, demonstrating statistically significant differences only in certain combinations of the specified types of bullet and experimental target. The results obtained can be used in medical forensic examinations of gunshot injuries.

Wound ballistics and the unusual injuries of the tandem bullet phenomenon: A systematic review of case-specific characteristics.

This study revisited the forensic literature to compile case-specific characteristics of the tandem-bullet phenomenon (TBP). A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and The Joanna Briggs Institute's manual. The protocol was registered in Open Science Framework. Ten primary databases and two sources of grey literature were searched, with descriptive studies on TBP, with information about the victim, weapon, ammunition and injuries, being included. From an initial sample of 2360 studies, 13 were eligible. The studies reported 11 male and 2 female victims, with ages between 14 and 63 years (mean = 39.45 ± 14.51 years); seven were victims of suicide (or suicide attempt); most of the victims (69.23%) were shot in the head and neck; and most (84.61%) had an entry and exit wound ratio of 1:0, respectively. The use of image exams to assess injuries and bullets was reported in 12 cases (92.30%). The most frequent reasons for the TBP were the mismatch between weapon and ammunition and the use of defective cartridges (76.92%). Forensic professionals must be aware of the case-specific characteristics of the TBP to overcome confounding factors in wound ballistics and medicolegal examinations.