Eur Radiol (2008) 18: 273–282 DOI 10.1007/s00330-007-0737-4 FORENSIC MEDICINE Stephan A. Bolliger Virtual autopsy using imaging: bridging Michael J. Thali Steffen Ross radiologic and forensic sciences. A review Ursula Buck Silvio Naether of the Virtopsy and similar projects Peter Vock Abstract The transdisciplinary re- addition, is also well suited to the Received: 26 March 2007 Revised: 25 June 2007 search project Virtopsy is dedicated to examination of surviving victims of Accepted: 16 July 2007 implementing modern imaging tech- assault, especially choking, and helps Published online: 18 August 2007 niques into forensic medicine and visualise internal injuries not seen at # Springer-Verlag 2007 pathology in order to augment current external examination of the victim. examination techniques or even to Apart from the accuracy and three- offer alternative methods. Our dimensionality that conventional project relies on three pillars: three- documentations lack, these techniques dimensional (3D) surface scanning for allow for the re-examination of the . S. A. Bolliger (*) M. J. Thali the documentation of body surfaces, corpse and the crime scene even S. Ross . U. Buck . S. Naether Centre for Forensic Imaging and and both multislice computed tomog- decades later, after burial of the corpse Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic raphy (MSCT) and magnetic reso- and liberation of the crime scene. We Medicine, University of Bern, nance imaging (MRI) to visualise the believe that this virtual, non-invasive Buehlstrasse 20, internal body. Three-dimensional or minimally invasive approach will 3012 Bern, Switzerland e-mail:
[email protected] surface scanning has delivered re- improve forensic medicine in the Tel.: +41-31-6318411 markable results in the past in the 3D near future.