From X-Rays to AI: The Influence of Information Technology on Radiological Forensics and Criminal Justice

Osamu Dazai^*
*Correspondence: Osamu Dazai, Department of Forensic Pathology and Sciences, University of Kyushu, Fukuoka, Japan, Email:

Introduction

Using the most cutting-edge imaging technology, new approaches to personal identification are being investigated. This study may assist in the identification of victims in the event of future major disasters. Advanced imaging for positive identification in forensic pathology has already been the subject of research by means of radiographic image recognition and other identification or authentication methods. For these approaches, data from biological fingerprints are gathered using digital radiography and other cutting-edge imaging methods. Even though it is still in its infancy, picture matching and identification in sophisticated digital images has shown promise for reducing medical errors and identifying specific patients. In the fields of forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and forensic pathology, these techniques might be useful for making a positive identification.

In forensic anthropology, human remains or bones from a deceased person have been used to analyze human remains for more than a century. Dental records, fingerprinting, and DNA testing are well-known ways to gather sufficient evidence to identify people who have passed away or who have been affected by a disaster. Various scientific anthropologists, legal pathologists, and specialists in radiological innovation likewise utilize bone data to decide age and sex. For the purpose of applying to unsolved cases and human remains, forensic anthropologists, forensic pathologists, and medical examiners are constantly developing standards and methodical analysis techniques [1].

One way to improve forensic personal identification is to develop a quick and accurate identification method that can be used by a small group of professionals on-site after an unexpected mass disaster. When Interpol published standards for disaster victim identification (DVI) in 2000, it acknowledged the difficulty of identifying a disaster victim through visual recognition. The Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology and the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science have worked together since 2008 to organize, establish best practices, and develop a consensus standard for [2].

Description

As a result of the Japanese government's creation of "The Program on Promotion of Policy about Death Investigation" in June 2014, the Act of Promotion of Policy about Death Investigation became law in April 2020. Utilizing scientific methods to ascertain the cause of death, establishing procedures for dental records, and creating databases for the identification of the deceased are among the goals of this program. It is impossible to know when the next major disaster will strike. Inadequate preparation for upcoming major disasters causes the identification of victims to be delayed. Researchers have carefully debated and researched ways to collaborate with police officers and coroners ahead of the next major disaster. This is very important, especially in times of terrorism, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and wildfires. The difficulties associated with personal identification are discussed in this article, as are the cutting-edge technologies being developed for radiography authorization and identification. There is a new review with detailed summaries that focuses on radiographic technology and medical physics. This review aims to provide information and points of view on the development of effective and practical procedures for forensic anthropology and pathology [3].

Since the invention of computed radiography, the first successful digital radiographic instrument, in 1983, modern imaging technologies in medically developed nations have evolved entirely digital. We are able to reevaluate a number of successful anthropological and forensic pathology methods thanks to this modification. People who live in countries with advanced medical systems may bring in their own images or have them stored in medical facilities. These photographs cannot be accessed without special authorization and cannot be reused, with the exception of retrospective investigations by a small group of scholars. In addition, these photographs may be deleted after a predetermined retention period as stipulated by national or state law, with the exception of clinically significant or uncommon circumstances. Researchers must respect patients' or victims' privacy. However, guidelines for future major disasters should be discussed, and coroners and relevant organizations should collaborate to coordinate response efforts. The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format and other well-structured digital photos can be easily distributed worldwide [4].

After an unexpected mass disaster, researchers from all over the world require a variety of picture databases for DVI. If researchers had access to databases that contained antemortem data, positive identification, in addition to fingerprint and DNA analyses, would be one of the most effective methods for identifying victims of a significant disaster. It is difficult, for instance, to match the body and appearance of fire or tsunami victims. With the exception of a few local databases, open national databases do not exist due to security and ethical concerns. Digital photographs, clinical data, and reports that are already available in hospitals or other medical facilities are also unavailable due to patient privacy. Utilizing information from a patient's clinical records is secret, yet it should be organized in a computerized data set with the goal that it could be made open web-based in a crisis [5].

Conclusion

To increase the likelihood that the strategies described in this paper will be used for personal identification, further systematic investigations utilizing permitted databases containing cutting-edge digital photos are required. Legal humanities, criminological pathology, and radiographic acknowledgment and ID techniques are only a couple of the fields in which these methodologies have proactively been created and can be utilized related to each other later on.

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

None.

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