Virtopsy – A Tool in the Examination of Victims of Disaster and Warfare

Imaging techniques have proven to be excellentevidential tools for forensic medicine. Nondestructive documentation is important for two reasons: first, it provides information without precluding any other conservative or destructive forensic investigation. Second, it can be used in cultures and situations where autopsy is not tolerated by religion or rejected by family members.The method of documenting forensic findings isinvestigator-independent, objective, and non-invasive and will lead to qualitative improvements in forensic pathologic investigation, since the digitally stored data may be recalled at any time to provide fresh, intact topographic and anatomic-clinical information. Greater degrees of quality control and expert supervision become possible, as do image transmission and forensic “telemedicine” consultation. The two-dimensional-3D methods of reconstruction are superior to the older descriptive and photographic techniques in comprehensively demonstrating findings to laypersons in a courtroom setting.