title: Distinction between entrance and exit wounds by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.
abstract: We investigated gunshot wounds in two autopsy cases using energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Lead and copper were detected in the entrance wound of one case and lead, antimony, and copper were detected in that of the other case. In the exit wounds of both cases, lead, antimony, and copper were below detection limits. These findings indicate that the detection of metallic elements, such as lead, antimony, and copper, which are found in bullets, may be useful for differentiating entrance from exit wounds using EDX.
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan. Electronic address: ntanaka@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors: Naoko
authors: N
authors: Tanaka
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kinoshita
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Ayaka
authors: A
authors: Takakura
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Mostofa
authors: M
authors: Jamal
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Asuka
authors: A
authors: Ito
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Mitsuru
authors: M
authors: Kumihashi
authors: Health Science, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Kunihiko
authors: K
authors: Tsutsui
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Shoji
authors: S
authors: Kimura
authors: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Ameno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX); Entrance wound; Exit wound; Gunshot wounds