Forensic pathology

This presentation discusses experimental tests of a model for drug uptake by human bone and explores how the results may be applied to detect nerve agent exposure from human remains recovered from mass graves during human rights investigations.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 9, 2017.

In this webinar, we will introduce a newly developed software tool called “Fragmento”. Viewers will be able to learn how to use Fragmento to sort and assemble skeletal fragmentary remains and reconstruct the full bone and biological profile.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 3, 2018.

Attendees will be introduced to the new features of the new software release, how to maximize results, and how to best interpret results for forensic casework application.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on August 16, 2018.
 

Alternate light has the potential to be an important tool for improving the detection and documentation of bruises among victims of violence. In this webinar, we discussed the science behind the technology, new evidence supporting its use, and clinical considerations regarding its application.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on October 30, 2019.

These presentations highlight specific case studies from a pathologist’s perspective. Jamie Downs, M.D., discussed several topics, including best practices for identifying child abuse and the difference between manner of death and cause of death.

These presentations highlight specific case studies from a pathologist’s perspective. Jamie Downs, M.D., discussed several topics, including best practices for identifying child abuse and the difference between manner of death and cause of death.

These presentations highlight specific case studies from a pathologist’s perspective. Jamie Downs, M.D., discussed several topics, including best practices for identifying child abuse and the difference between manner of death and cause of death.

These presentations highlight specific case studies from a pathologist’s perspective. Jamie Downs, M.D., discussed several topics, including best practices for identifying child abuse and the difference between manner of death and cause of death.

In the sixth and final webinar, participants will be introduced to the use of PMCT in the investigation of a variety of unnatural deaths not discussed in previous webinars.  Topics include overdose deaths, select asphyxial mechanisms of death, and sharp force injury.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 18, 2021. 

In the fifth webinar, participants will be introduced to the use of PMCT in the investigation of natural deaths.  At the New Mexico OMI, a PMCT scan may be used to rule out trauma in apparently natural deaths, or to confirm a natural cause of death.  Depending on investigative details (circumstances, age, and medical history), and the PMCT findings, pathologists may choose to perform an external exam or a full autopsy.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 11, 2021.

In the third webinar, participants will be introduced to the use of PMCT for examining decedents with gunshot wounds, both homicidal and self-inflicted.  At the New Mexico OMI, a PMCT scan is performed in virtually all gunshot wound (GSW) related deaths.  In cases of suspected homicide or suspicious suicides, autopsy is also performed.  However, in non-suspicious cases involving self-inflicted GSW, PMCT is combined with an external examination, and sometimes a partial autopsy to retrieve a retained projectile, replacing the full autopsy. 

This webinar will introduce participants to the use of PMCT in the diagnosis of blunt force trauma.  PMCT scan may be used to diagnose fatal trauma in certain situations, allowing an external examination with postmortem CT to supplant an autopsy, which may better honor religious and cultural requests of grieving family members.  Non-suspicious, traumatic deaths, such as motor vehicle collisions, are such an example.  Additionally, PMCT often provides additional documentation of internal injuries where fatal injuries are obvious on external examination. 

In the first webinar, participants will be introduced to x-ray computed tomography (CT) and some key differences between CT and traditional x-ray.  The basic specifications of a CT scanner (such as bore diameter, maximum image size, and table specifications) will be introduced, with reference to their impact on whole body post-mortem scanning in particular.  Basic considerations for deploying a CT scanner in a medical examiner setting (cost, personnel, space, safety) will also be discussed.  

In the second webinar of the Post-mortem Computed Tomography Series, participants will be introduced to the use of PMCT as a triage tool in a busy forensic pathology practice.  Participants will first learn about the history of the use of PMCT at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) and the existing research and literature on the efficacy of PMCT in the medical examiner setting. 

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 20, 2021. 

The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium is an open meeting where attendees can learn about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. This is one of four videos from the 2022 symposium, which was held March 1-2, 2022.
Presentations include -

The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium is an open meeting where attendees can learn about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. This is one of five videos from the 2024 symposium, which was held September 19, 2024.

A roadmap to successfully utilizing contract forensic pathologists, also known as locum tenens, was presented by a Chief Medical Examiner and a Coroner with extensive experience in employing these useful contractors to perform forensic autopsies and other professional tasks in today’s environment of increasing caseloads. Topics include the forensic pathologist workforce shortage, scheduling, budgeting, fee structures, and different business models for the use of locum tenens forensic pathologists in busy Medical Examiner and Coroner offices. \

Fractography is a tool for studying material failure. Analysis of cracks and fractures can reveal information about how, why, and where a fracture initiated and how a crack traveled, providing insight into the cause of failure. This webinar provides a basic introduction to forensic fractography of bone, which represents a new model for skeletal trauma that emphasizes understanding the cause of material failure rather than simply classifying fracture patterns.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on November 2, 2022.