ATEŞLİ SİLAH YARALANMALARINA BAĞLI KEMİK TRAVMALARININ BİLGİSAYARLI TOMOGRAFİ VE 3 BOYUTLU BASKI TEKNİKLERİ İLE REPLİKA EDİLMELERİ

---

Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Ankara University, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Adli bilimler, Turkey

Approval Date: 2025

Thesis Language: Turkish

Student: HAYDAR ONUR AÇIKSÖZ

Supervisor: Mert Ocak

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

Bone analyses keeps a crucial place in forensic medical examinations that related to gunshot traumas. Through the bone analyses, findings on the evidence can be identified, weapons or forces causing the trauma can be characterized, and critical factors such as the life-threatening impacts of the trauma, as well as the direction and approximate distance of the defect object, can be determined. The patterns of these defects are typically observed as shapes like circular, elliptical/oval, or keyhole shapes. The structure of the trauma varies depending on the angle for the object (bullet core, pellets, etc.) enters the bone. Entrance and exit holes are two key characteristics in gunshot trauma to human bone. Fractures, categorized by shape around these wounds, can also be observed. Total number and shape of these fracture lines vary depending on the energy of the bullet core at the moment of impact to the bone. In cases where the bullet core's energy is high (which changes based on the bullet's velocity, size, and mass), radial fractures, concentric fractures, and multi-fragmentation defects could be observed. In injuries with low energy, linear fractures are typical. It has also been reported that there are cases where the fractures are not exist at all. There are some situations that the firearm caused bone traumas could be confused with sharp-force or blunt-force traumas. It is crucial to avoid such possible confusions to ensure the reliability of the inquiry in forensic investigations. Also examination and observation of the bone defects in a right way is essential; thus, the possible risk of confusion could be minimized. In our country, similar as worldwide, gunshot related incidents frequently happens, that resulting injuries of multiple degrees and, sometimes death. In such cases, for the solid progression of the investigation, the bone damage must be evaluated and identified using various methodological definitions, such as 'beveling force,' which provides a route and result to the investigation. Nowadays, especially in the leading countries with a few number of studies in this field of work, findings from forensic cases presented in courtrooms and related authorized laboratories, whether they involve soft tissue or bone can be preserved by creating replicas using 3D printing technology following medical imaging. In addition, these replicas, which can be produced at a very low cost and replicated in any desired quantity, provide a rapid and effective alternative for the investigations by overcoming challenges such as biological decaying, ethical concerns, and some legal procedures, which sometimes make transporting the original materials impossible. In this study, 15 randomly selected medical imaging data cases with trauma of the mentioned type, will be processed through specific stages, and these data will be transformed into exact replicas using 3D printing technology. The consistency of the produced models with the tomography data and the original cases will be examined, forensic and medical applications will be defined, and the obtained results will be analyzed.