An autopsy is a traditional and classic technique of forensic medicine, but due to the need to destroy the body, the autopsy is sometimes resisted and rejected. Virtual anatomy provides a non-invasive test for forensic examination, which can objectively and accurately reflect fractures, soft tissue injuries, invasive diseases, organ damage, etc., providing intuitive and powerful evidence for forensic identification practice. “Virtual anatomy” is “virtopsy”, which is a combination of “virtual” and “autopsy”. It is mainly used to introduce modern imaging examination technology into forensic corpse examination, thus creating a non-invasive and non-invasive (or minimally invasive) anatomy. This essay will examine the pros and cons of the new technology.
Compared with the traditional autopsy, the virtual anatomy can perform a full-body examination and can make a more accurate diagnosis in a short time, while also respecting some religious beliefs that are not willing to dissect the body. In some cases, virtual anatomy can even replace traditional autopsy. With the development of virtual anatomy technology, it plays an increasingly important role in forensic practice and has been affirmed by many domestic and foreign forensic scientists. For the first instance, the damage information obtained by virtual anatomy is relatively comprehensive, and the result judgment is objective and independent. Moreover, the repeatability is good. The main purpose of forensic examination is to record, analyze and depict the damage and pathological changes found in living or corpses. The most direct information can be obtained by visual observation and dissection of the corpse, but the judgment of the anatomical results is subjective and depends on the ability of case-handling forensics. The autopsy is a highly destructive operation, and of poor reproducibility. The amount and quality of the information provided by the second anatomy will be greatly reduced, and the more autopsy, the less gains. The emergence of imaging techniques such as X-ray, CT, and MRI provide a non-invasive test procedure that replaces scalpels with surface scans, X-rays, magnetic resonances, etc. Also, no longer autopsy records are written in understandable regulatory language. Instead, an objective image photo is generated. This technology enables high-quality control and expert participation, and enables image transmission and remote consultation, making the confirmation of the evidence more realistic and effective, and facilitating expert consultation in difficult and complicated cases. And for the anatomy of complex body parts (such as the head and face, neck, pelvis, etc.), virtual anatomy provides an alternative or more means of forensic corpse testing.
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Moreover, in cases where laws, religions, and cultures prohibit the infringement of the body, and certain infectious bodies are not suitable for autopsy, virtual anatomy provides an alternative method of examination that can play an important role under certain conditions. Virtual anatomy is definitely safe and non-toxic. Conventional anatomy experiment teaching is inseparable from the 'formaldehyde' antiseptic fixed treatment of cadaver specimens. Formaldehyde can evaporate a strong pungent odor, which will stimulate the teacher's and students' respiratory and visual organs and have long-term damage. Therefore, reducing the time and opportunity of exposure to formaldehyde is beneficial to the physical and mental health of teachers and students.
It is undeniable that the digital human anatomy system is powerful, but it also increases the amount of information and the complexity of the operation. Operators need special training and it’s hard to use them proficiently in a short time. The digital human anatomy system is powerful and resource-rich, resulting in higher prices. It takes hundreds of thousands of dollars to establish a standard digital anatomy laboratory. Anatomical cadaver specimens have numerous anatomical structures, and some of the fine structures cannot be marked in detail in the digital human anatomy system. In addition, the anatomical structure in the digital human anatomy system is reconstructed in three dimensions, and all the structural levels on the cadaver specimen do not correspond completely in the digital human anatomy system, such as the structural level of the superficial fascia and deep fascia. The color is also artificially colored, which means that there is still a certain color difference with the actual cadaver specimen. Therefore, the study of anatomical knowledge cannot be completely dependent on the digital human anatomy system, and the phase of human specimens and digital human systems is still needed to be mutually integrated. At present, the virtual operation in the digital human anatomy system can not completely replace the real anatomical operation process. Especially in the experimental teaching process of partial anatomy, the digital human anatomy system can not let students personally understand the true texture of human organ structure. Therefore, local anatomy still needs to be based on cadaver specimens and the digital human anatomy system serves as a supplement. These limitations make virtual anatomy technology difficult to apply as a routine method to forensic corpse examination in China in a short time.
Virtual anatomy technology has the advantages of objectivity, accuracy, and non-invasiveness, which can lay a foundation for the establishment of a high-quality identification procedure for forensic science. However, it also has certain limitations and cannot completely replace the traditional autopsy. However, it is undoubted that the importance of imaging methods in forensic identification will become more and more prominent. What’s more, it is controversial that the image of the proposed autopsy can be modified. In the context of the increasing emphasis on the value of image legal information in the judicial system, it is essential for image quality requirements in order to solve the problem that images may be forged. Whether virtual anatomy is an evolution or a revolution in forensic science, this new forensic concept will surely be agreed upon by more professionals.
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