Nancy S. Adams, BSRS, RT(R)
*Clinical Coordinator, Radiologic Sciences, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, Mississippi.
Address correspondence to: Nancy S. Adams, BSRS, RT(R), Clinical Coordinator, Radiologic Sciences, Itawamba Community College, 602 West Hill Street, Fulton, MS 38843. E-mail: adam7866@bellsouth.net.
Disclosure: Ms Adams reports serving on the speakers' bureau for Medical Technology Management Institute.
ABSTRACT
Radiography is commonly used in the collection of forensic evidence and is especially useful for confirming the identity of both living and deceased subjects, identifying pre-existing skeletal trauma, assisting in the determination and/or confirmation of cause of death, and locating hidden foreign bodies, such as fragments of explosives and packages of illegal substances. In these instances, radiographers need to understand the appropriate forensic imaging protocols for each situation, as well as the legal and ethical issues involved. The following article discusses these important aspects of forensic imaging, as well as new developments in technology, in an effort to provide the radiographer with the necessary tools to function as part of the forensic team.
