title: Positive identification by X-rays bone trabeculae comparison.
abstract: Positive (certain, absolute) identification of human remains needs a scientific comparison between ante mortem and post-mortem biologic features, as fingerprint, odontological, radiological or DNA comparisons. X-rays comparison has been extensively used, usually comparing some peculiarities such as outlines of the bones, degenerative evolution or pathological conditions. Trabeculae comparisons are sparsely underlined in the forensic literature. We report on a case of decomposed body where fingerprint, DNA and odontological comparisons were not possible. After dissecting the leg and preparing the bones, comparison of ante mortem and postmortem trabeculae led to a positive identification. It was observed that tens of radiolucencies and radiodensities drawn by the trabeculae were useful for comparison, within a very small part of bone. In the case reported here the positive identity could have been assessed only by the comparison of the first metatarsal. The statement of positive identification needs scientific criteria that will be discussed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice cedex 2, France. Electronic address: quatrehomme.g@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Gérald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quatrehomme
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice cedex 2, France. Electronic address: biglia.e@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biglia
authors.affiliation: Service de Radiologie, Hôpital Pasteur, 30 avenue de la Voie Romaine, 06003 Nice cedex 1, France. Electronic address: padovani.b@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Padovani
authors.affiliation: Edhec Business School, 400 Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice, France. Electronic address: philippe.DUJARDIN@edhec.edu.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: du Jardin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice cedex 2, France. Electronic address: alunni.v@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alunni
mesh_terms: D000071556:Cancellous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008682:Metatarsal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013639:Tarsal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Bones; Comparison; Human remains; Identification; Trabeculae comparisons; X-rays