Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Joint editorial: shared deliberations of the editors-in-chief of three forensic journals regarding ethical issues in forensic publishing.

International journal of legal medicine·2026

Same author

Joint editorial: shared deliberations of the editors-in-chief of three forensic journals regarding ethical issues in forensic publishing.

Forensic science, medicine, and pathology·2026

Same author

The influence of a skin simulant on bullet trajectory deflection in ballistic gelatine.

Forensic science international·2025

Same author

The deceleration of full metal jacket bullets in compact target models - A new approach.

Forensic science international·2024

Same author

The influence of impact velocity on bullet trajectory deflection through ballistic gelatine.

Forensic science international·2023

Same author

"Guboow"-child abuse or traditional medical treatment? a case report.

International journal of legal medicine·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research

Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research

Published on: June 7, 2024

Body weight estimation based on postmortem CT data--validation of a multiplication factor.

C Jackowski¹, N Schwendener, J Zeyer-Brunner

¹Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Buehlstrasse 20, 3012, Bern, Switzerland, christian.jackowski@irm.unibe.ch.

International Journal of Legal Medicine

|May 25, 2015

Summary

Postmortem computed tomography (pmCT) can estimate corpse weight by calculating body volume. This method is reliable for forensic medicine, though artifacts may limit accuracy.

More Related Videos

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography

Published on: November 8, 2024

Segmentation and Linear Measurement for Body Composition Analysis using Slice-O-Matic and Horos

Segmentation and Linear Measurement for Body Composition Analysis using Slice-O-Matic and Horos

Published on: March 21, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research

Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research

Published on: June 7, 2024

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography

Non-invasive Skeletal Muscle Quantification in Small Animals Using Micro-computed Tomography

Published on: November 8, 2024

Segmentation and Linear Measurement for Body Composition Analysis using Slice-O-Matic and Horos

Segmentation and Linear Measurement for Body Composition Analysis using Slice-O-Matic and Horos

Published on: March 21, 2021

Area of Science:

Forensic Medicine
Radiology
Medical Imaging

Background:

Postmortem computed tomography (pmCT) is a valuable tool in forensic medicine for documentation and diagnosis.
Accurate corpse weight estimation is crucial for various forensic analyses.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the feasibility of estimating corpse weight using pmCT data.
To establish a method for retrospective body weight assessment in forensic cases.

Main Methods:

50 forensic cases underwent pmCT within 48 hours postmortem.
Automated segmentation tools determined body volume from pmCT data.
Individual multiplication factors were calculated using pre-autopsy weight and pmCT-derived volume.

Main Results:

The mean postmortem multiplication factor was determined to be 1.07 g/ml.
This factor allows for retrospective body weight estimation.
Severe artifacts from foreign bodies can impede the accuracy of pmCT-based weight estimations.

Conclusions:

pmCT data can be reliably used to estimate corpse weight in forensic investigations.
The established multiplication factor provides a practical method for retrospective weight assessment.
Awareness of potential artifacts is necessary for accurate application of this technique.