Automatic continuous monitoring of rectal temperature using a button-type thermo data logger

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Temperature Measurement Technology

Background:

• Accurate postmortem temperature measurement is crucial for estimating time of death.
• Traditional methods can be labor-intensive and prone to error.
• Continuous monitoring offers a more reliable approach to body cooling analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of button-type thermo data loggers for continuous rectal temperature monitoring in autopsy cases.
• To assess the reliability and ease of use of these devices for forensic applications.
• To determine if the data loggers can accurately reflect ambient cooling conditions.

Main Methods:

• Automatic continuous monitoring of rectal and ambient temperatures using button-type thermo data loggers.
• Data loggers set to 5-min intervals, recording up to 2048 temperature readings.
• Retrieval of data loggers at autopsy and generation of temperature graphs.
• Case studies involving three representative autopsy cases.

Main Results:

• Data loggers demonstrated reliability, with one device functioning despite body movement.
• Rectal temperature cooling curves accurately correlated with ambient temperature changes in two cases.
• Devices are small, easily inserted rectally, and require no specialized skills.

Conclusions:

• Button-type data loggers are suitable for continuous, accurate postmortem temperature monitoring.
• These devices enhance the reliability of temperature data for time of death estimation.
• Their ease of use and small size make them ideal for forensic temperature logging.