Comparison between computed tomography and silicone-casting methods to determine gunshot cavities in ballistic soap
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Comparison between computed tomography and silicone-casting methods to determine gunshot cavities in ballistic soap Irene Burgos-Díez 1 & Félix Zapata 1 & Manuel José Chamorro-Sancho 2 & Manuel Jesús Ruano-Rando 3 & José Luis Ferrando-Gil 3 & Carmen García-Ruiz 1 & Gemma Montalvo 1 & Fernando Ortega-Ojeda 1 Received: 18 June 2020 / Accepted: 6 November 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract 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. Keywords 3D-reconstructed cavity . Ballistic soap simulant . Computed tomography . Temporary cavity . Terminal ballistics . Wound ballistics
Introduction
* Fernando Ortega-Ojeda [email protected]; https://cinquifor.uah.es Irene Burgos-Díez [email protected] Félix Zapata [email protected] Carmen García-Ruiz [email protected] Gemma Montalvo [email protected] 1
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and University Institute of Research in Police Sciences (IUICP), University of Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain
2
Military Veterinary Centre, Spanish Ministry of Defence, Darío Gazapo 3, 28024 Madrid, Spain
3
Ballistics and Tool marks Department, Criminalistics Service, Guardia Civil HQ, Guzmán el Bueno, 110, 28003 Madrid, Spain
Terminal ballistics is the part of forensic ballistics that studies the behaviour and effects that a specific projectile fired with a specific weapon causes on a body [1]. The projectile penetrates the human body to a greater or lesser extent, generating an internal cavity that might be temporary and/or permanent [2]. The temporary cavity is the deformation that the human body undergoes during the motion of the projectile through its interior. The temporary cavity deformation occurs due to the transfer of kinetic energy, but without exceeding the human body’s yield point, and thus, the human body returns to its origina
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