Effectiveness and limitations of human identification from cremains: A report of two cases

Abstract

The present study of two case reports of the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake demonstrates the effectiveness and limitations of using dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging of cremains as a means of identification. In case 1, identification was assisted by further expanding the age range of the cremains evaluated on macroscopy by obtaining CBCT images of the cremated maxilla. The findings of case 2 presented the possibility that the deceased and the candidate were the same person by superimposing the CBCT images of the cremated patella on the X-ray of the candidate. However, since cremated bones are deformed to varying degrees, it is clear that the images obtained before, rather than after, cremation are more effective in comparing post-mortem and ante-mortem images. Thus, it is necessary to collect extensive and diverse data on the deceased before cremation.

Keywords: Case report; Cone-beam computed tomography; Cremation; Forensic anthropology; Human identification.