Comparison between computed tomography and silicone-casting methods to determine gunshot cavities in ballistic soap

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 sens...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Burgos Díez, Irene, Zapata Arráez, Félix|||0000-0002-7419-4632, Chamorro Sancho, Manuel José, Ruano Rando, Manuel Jesús, Ferrando Gil, José Luis, García Ruiz, Carmen|||0000-0001-5925-3449, Montalvo García, Gemma|||0000-0002-5640-8908, Ortega Ojeda, Fernando Ernesto
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/51274
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/51274
https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02464-0
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:3D-reconstructed cavity
ballistic soap simulant
computed tomography
temporary cavity
terminal ballistics
wound ballistics
Química
Chemistry
Descripción
Sumario: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.