Scan Application : Reconstruction of Faces of Unidentified Victims

We all know that the computed tomography scanning machine in hospitals are primarily used for detecting infarction, tumours, cancers, haemorrhage, bone fractures and much more. I came across an article in The Washington Post, which highlights the application of CT scan as a method to reconstruct the faces of the unidentified victims in cold cases.

The Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia examines the skulls of deceased children who have gone unidentified for years. Its been a year, since the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has joined forces with the radiology department at Inova to help unlock the mysteries behind three such cold cases.

Forensic Imaging Technology

Joe Mullins, a forensic imaging specialist at NCMEC, does the same job as seen in Bones and CSI series. He has been following this procedure since the last 5 years :

Firstly, the skull is digitized with a CT scan, which can produce three-dimensional images using X-ray and computer technology.

Adobe Photoshop is used to reconstruct what the victim looked like, building virtual layers of muscle and skin based on the person’s presumed ancestry and age.

A technology called FreeForm modeling allows him to feel the work he’s doing on the computer screen as if it were clay, via a joysticklike arm called a Phantom.

The image is then distributed on flyers and to the media in hopes of sparking recognition among the victim’s acquaintances.

Now, most of the forensic artists reconstruct skulls using molding clay as a stand-in for soft tissue. But, Joe Mullins also uses the CT scanner at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where the machine is usually devoted to examine artifacts such as dinosaur bones, mummies and Stradivarius violins. I found this application really fascinating, and look forward to see more innovative ideas like this. If you enjoy the forensic art stuff do visit Forensic Artists Q&A : Joe Mullins

Source :
The Washington Post