title: Volume determination of fresh and dried bloodstains by means of optical coherence tomography.
abstract: The volume of bloodstains found on crime scenes may help forensic investigators reconstruct the location and kinematics of bloodletting events, as stain size, volume, and impact velocity are related. Optical coherence tomography was used as a method to determine the volume and volume ratio of dried and fresh bloodstains on both glass and irregular surfaces or deposited with an impact velocity. The volume of blood drops deposited on smooth glass surfaces was measured within a deviation of 2%. This deviation increased for droplets on irregular surfaces or deposited with an impact velocity. The volume ratio of dried and fresh bloodstains was equal to 19-28% depending on the individual donor and on the use of an anticoagulant. Optical coherence tomography is a good method to determine the volume of fresh and dried bloodstains in laboratory conditions and allows accurate determination of the dry/fresh ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Hague, P.O. Box 24044, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laan
authors.forename: Rolf H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bremmer
authors.forename: Maurice C G
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Aalders
authors.forename: Karla G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: de Bruin
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001801:Blood Stains; D004492:Edetic Acid; D005898:Glass; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D013499:Surface Properties; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D004492:Edetic Acid
keywords: blood drop; bloodstain pattern analysis; dry/fresh ratio; forensic science; optical coherence tomography; volume