Stable isotope analysis and forensic pathology

The work of forensic pathologists serves many purposes, but ultimately the most important of these is to uncover the truth. Whether identifying a body or determining a cause of death, forensic pathology plays a key role in providing legal and medical authorities with the information they need to make educated decisions.

                However, sometimes even accurate facts do not tell the whole story. A single observation about a specific injury, disease or pathological process will not be enough to determine the manner of a death, or paint a complete picture of the circumstances and events that pathologists are looking to clarify. This is why professionals in this field rely on advanced technologies to help them go deeper and identify more subtle details that will help them reach more comprehensive and definitive conclusions.

                Of these tools, stable isotope analysis is not always the most commonly discussed, but this technique can play a pivotal and indispensable role in aiding coroners and crime laboratories to make the right decisions. At a time when forensic pathologists are seeing a greater impetus than ever to deliver their best work as efficiently as possible, the insights these instruments provide have arguably never been more important.