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Kovalev A.V.

Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education

Makarov I.Yu.

Russian Centre of Forensic Medical Expertise;
Moscow Academy of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation

Mishchenko A.V.

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Kondratyev E.V.

National Medical Research Center of Surgery named after A. Vishnevsky

Stragis V.B.

Russian Center of Forensic Medical Expertise

Features of visualization and interpretation of characteristics of firearms projectiles and damage to non-biological simulators of the human body during multispiral X-ray computed tomography with an extended Hounsfield scale

Authors:

Kovalev A.V., Makarov I.Yu., Mishchenko A.V., Kondratyev E.V., Stragis V.B.

More about the authors

Journal: Forensic Medical Expertise. 2025;68(6): 20‑27

DOI: 10.17116/sudmed20256806120

Read: 511 times

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Table of contents

FEATURES OF VISUALIZATION AND INTERPRETATION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF FIREARMS PROJECTILES AND DAMAGE TO NON-BIOLOGICAL SIMULATORS OF THE HUMAN BODY DURING MULTISPIRAL X-RAY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY WITH AN EXTENDED HOUNSFIELD SCALE
FEATURES OF VISUALIZATION AND INTERPRETATION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF FIREARMS PROJECTILES AND DAMAGE TO NON-BIOLOGICAL SIMULATORS OF THE HUMAN BODY DURING MULTISPIRAL X-RAY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY WITH AN EXTENDED HOUNSFIELD SCALE

To cite this article:

Kovalev AV, Makarov IYu, Mishchenko AV, Kondratyev EV, Stragis VB. Features of visualization and interpretation of characteristics of firearms projectiles and damage to non-biological simulators of the human body during multispiral X-ray computed tomography with an extended Hounsfield scale. Forensic Medical Expertise. 2025;68(6):20‑27. (In Russ.)
https://doi.org/10.17116/sudmed20256806120

Подписка 2026 Судебно-медицинская экспертиза (Forensic Medical Expertise)
МСФ на ЯМ
Использование инфографики авторами научных работ
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Abstract:

OBJECTIVE

To study the features of visualization and interpretation of significant characteristics of gunshot projectiles and gunshot injuries to non-biological simulators of the human body when performing MSCT with an extended Hounsfield X-ray density scale.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The physical, chemical, forensic and criminalistic characteristics of the firearm projectile and firearm injuries to non-biological imitators of the human body (blocks of sculptural plasticine) were studied. The shots were fired from a smooth-bore long-barreled 12-gauge IZH-58MA hunting rifle using cartridges with solid metal bullets made of lead alloy.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The application of the Hounsfield densitometric scale expansion method demonstrated its high information content and allowed to reliably establish the physical and chemical characteristics of a firearm projectile, conduct differential diagnostics of metallic and non-metallic foreign deposits in the area of firearm injuries, and reduce and completely suppress metallic artifacts in the images of the objects under study. It was found that the shift of density windows towards increasing the values of densitometric characteristics in Hounsfield units (HU) led to the formation of image artifacts simulating a bullet shell that did not actually exist. In order to avoid gross expert errors, the identified patterns should be taken into account when establishing the design details of firearms projectiles, when a shell-less (all-metal) firearm projectile can be mistakenly interpreted as a shell-type.

Keywords:

forensic radiology
multislice x-ray computed tomography
gunshot wounds
gunshot projectiles
extended Hounsfield X-ray density scale

Authors:

Kovalev A.V.

Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education

Makarov I.Yu.

Russian Centre of Forensic Medical Expertise;
Moscow Academy of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation

Mishchenko A.V.

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Kondratyev E.V.

National Medical Research Center of Surgery named after A. Vishnevsky

Stragis V.B.

Russian Center of Forensic Medical Expertise

Received:

28.08.2025

Accepted:

24.09.2025

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