The Utility of Advanced Imaging in Forensic Anthropology

Imaging technologies play an integral role in forensic anthropology cases. Advances in digital photography allow the anthropologist to photo-document the scene and skeletal remains in exceptional detail. Traditionally, radiographs have been used to document remains, potential trauma, and any individualizing characteristics such as healing trauma and frontal sinus morphology. Given technological advances, some forensic anthropologists have begun to incorporate more advanced imaging methods in their case analyses and research, such as computed tomography and three-dimensional (3D) surface scans. These advanced imaging technologies provide a means to document skeletal remains and trauma, and can be used to create 3D replicas of the elements for archival and illustrative purposes. Researchers have begun to develop novel methods for estimating biological parameters from these 3D virtual models, using new variables such as surface areas and volumes, and advanced statistical methods (e.g., geometric morphometric analyses) to quantitatively analyze skeletal variation for sex and ancestry estimation. The use of these technologies in forensic anthropology remains somewhat limited, however, due to required costs, expertise, and the time involved in collecting and processing the data. Newly developed methods require further validation, and some areas of advanced imaging, such as photogrammetry, remain relatively unexplored in the field. Interdisciplinary collaborations between forensic anthropologists and other medicolegal professionals can help alleviate some of these resource constraints and facilitate advancements in forensic case analysis and research.