The application of a variable-pressure scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser to the diagnosis of electrocution: a case report.
We describe here a case of accidental electrocution. A 48-year-old male was found dead in his room. At autopsy, there was a current mark on the right thumb and big toe. Histological examination revealed that the skin wound had the characteristics of a current mark, including vacuolation and elongation of the cell nuclei. We could also identify titanium metallization on the skin surface of the current mark using a variable-pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser (EDX). The autopsy finding and the subsequent investigation support the conclusion that the cause of his death was electrocution. Our result shows that the VP-SEM with EDX is a useful tool for the forensic diagnosis of electrocution.
Kinoshita
Hiroshi
H
Department of Legal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1, Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. kinochin@hyo-med.ac.jp
Nishiguchi
Minori
M
Ouchi
Harumi
H
Minami
Takako
T
Kubota
Akira
A
Utsumi
Takao
T
Sakamoto
Nobuharu
N
Kashiwagi
Nobuyuki
N
Shinomiya
Kouji
K
Tsuboi
Hideki
H
Hishida
Shigeru
S
D000061:Accidents, Home; D001344:Autopsy; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged