Alternative light source (polilight®) illumination with digital image analysis does not assist in determining the age of bruises

Hughes, V.K.; Ellis, P.S.; Langlois, N.E.I.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.04.042

« Previous Next »Forensic Science International
Volume 158, Issue 2 , Pages 104-107, 10 May 2006

Alternative light source (polilight^®) illumination with digital image analysis does not assist in determining the age of bruises

Westmead Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Sydney, Mortuary, Level 1, ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, P.O. Box 533, Wentworthville, NSW 2145, Australia

Received 24 March 2004; accepted 26 April 2005. published online 04 July 2005.

Abstract

The age of a bruise may be of interest to forensic investigators. Previous research has demonstrated that an alternative light source may assist in the visualisation of faint or non-visible bruises. This project aimed to determine if an alternative light source could be utilised to assist investigators estimate the age of a bruise. Forty braises, sustained from blunt force trauma, were examined from 30 healthy subjects. The age of the bruises ranged from 2 to 231h (mean=74.6, median=69.0). Alternative light source (polilight^®) illumination at 415 and 450nm was used. The black and white photographs obtained were assessed using densitometry. A statistical analysis indicated that there was no correlation between time and the mean densitometry values. The alternative light source used in this study was unable to assist in determining the age of a bruise.