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Forensic science, medicine, and pathology
Dec, 2007;3 (4): 241-51.

The science behind the quest to determine the age of bruises-a review of the English language literature.

N E I Langlois
Author Information
  1. N E I Langlois: Westmead Department of Forensic Medicine, Mortuary, Level 1, ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, P.O. Box 533, 2145, Wentworthville, NSW, Australia, neil.langlois@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au.
PMID: 25869263 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-007-9019-3

Abstract

Bruises are common injuries that can have medicolegal significance. There are those that maintain it is not possible to estimate the age of bruises. However, appreciation of the biological processes related to the resolution of a bruise suggests that these may provide information regarding the age of a bruise. Potential methods for determining the age of bruises-visual observation, colorimetry, spectrophotometry and histology-are reviewed. The observation of yellow (not orange or brown) indicates a bruise is not recent, but the abilities of visual observation are limited by the physiology of the human eye. Analysis of spectrophotometric data may provide more useful and objective information. Histological examination may be appropriate only in the postmortem situation. The lack of published information limits this as a tool for estimating the age of bruises. It is not known how the wide range of factors that can influence bruise formation and resolution could affect estimation of bruise age.

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MeSH Term

Autopsy
Biomarkers
Biopsy
Color
Colorimetry
Contusions
Forensic Medicine
Hemoglobins
Humans
Postmortem Changes
Predictive Value of Tests
Reproducibility of Results
Skin
Skin Pigmentation
Spectrophotometry
Time Factors

Chemicals

Biomarkers
Hemoglobins
Journal Article Review

Word Cloud

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