Predictive equation for post-mortem interval using spectrophotometric values of post-mortem lividity: A pilot study. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Usumoto, Yosuke; Kudo, Keiko; Tsuji, Akiko; Ihama, Yoko; Ikeda, Noriaki
• Is Part Of: Forensic science international. Volume 297(2019)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 55
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Post-mortem interval -- Post-mortem lividity -- Spectrophotometry -- Skin colour -- Blood colour; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Chimie légale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Chemistry, Forensic; Medical jurisprudence; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.01.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0379-0738

Abstract

Highlights: Correlation among colour of post-mortem lividity, control skin and blood was studied. Within blood colour, left heart blood influenced post-mortem lividity the most. A new equation for estimating colour of post-mortem lividity was proposed. A new equation for estimating post-mortem interval was proposed. Abstract: The colour of post-mortem lividity and control skin of 86 cadavers was measured spectrophotometrically to obtain L * (value), a * (chroma) and b * (hue) values. In addition, left heart blood ( n = 58), right heart blood ( n = 57) and blood from the femoral vein ( n = 21) were measured. Using these data, we analysed the relationship between post-mortem lividity, control skin and blood colours. L * of post-mortem lividity ( L * p ) and control skin ( L * c ) were strongly correlated ( r = 0.64). a * and b * of post-mortem lividity ( a * p and b * p ) significantly increased with an increasing post-mortem interval (PMI) but r 2 values were low (0.11 and 0.070, respectively). Predictive equations for post-mortem lividity colour ( L * p, a * p and b * p ) were developed using control skin colour ( L * c, a * c and b * c ) and autopsy findings for the first time. The predictive equation for L * p explained almost 65% of the observed L * p . We created predictive equations for PMI with and without blood colour values, and the most accurate equation, which did not use blood colour values, made it possible to estimate PMI within ± 10.29 h. Further study of these equations will help us to understand the factors that affect post-mortem lividity colour and increase the accuracy of equations for predicting post-mortem lividity colour and PMI.