Use of toluidine blue for documentation of traumatic intercourse

Forty-four women were examined for evidence of traumatic intercourse. Toluidine blue dye was employed as an objective adjunct in the evaluation because of its sensitivity for exposed superficial nuclei. Seventy percent of nulliparas and 40% of the total number of patients examined within 48 hours after complaint of sexual assault demonstrated toluidine blue-positive lacerations. Only 1 of 22 patients presenting after consenting intercourse demonstrated toluidine blue-positive lacerations. This new use of toluidine blue may prove of value in examining of the victim of sexual assault because of the dye's ability, independent of the examiner's skill, to indicate injury in collection of evidence for court proceedings.