Unit of Forensic Imaging and Anthropology (UIAF)

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Presentation

The Unit of Forensic Imaging and Anthropology is part of the Forensic Medicine and Imaging Section (SMIF)

Main tasks

The UIAF performs at the request of the judicial authorities forensic imaging investigations, a technique that includes methods for acquiring and restoring images of the human body taking advantage of various techniques of imaging (e.g. CT-scan and MRI). Imaging investigations precede and complement the autopsy. Imaging techniques have the advantage of being non-destructive and the acquired data can be stored and reviewed later on.
Postmortem angio-CT is a minimally invasive imaging method that allows to investigate the details of the vascular system that can't be achieved with a conventional autopsy. This examination requires the administration of a contrast agent with an infusion pump. CT angiography enables the detection of a source of bleeding, a malformation of the network of blood vessels, arteriosclerosis lesions, occlusion of a vessel and the visualization of the vascular anatomy.
3D documentation which allows reconstruction by virtual 3D modelling and 3D morphometric comparisons between the lesions and the suspected objects of causing the lesions.
Forensic anthropology uses scientific techniques borrowed to classical anthropology to identify decomposed remains of the human skeleton to determine the nature of the person (age, sex, height, etc.), to try to reconstitute his/her best possible physical appearance to help forensic pathologists to determine the manner of death (accident, homicide or natural death) and contribute to the elucidation of a crime.
For enquiries, please contact our secretary : Melissa Jotterand

Field of activity

The main fields of activity deal with postmortem investigation, clinical expertise and expertise on record. The UIAF also provides teaching and training to under-graduate and post-graduate students and also in continuing education. A wide variety of professions may be interestedv: medical doctors, pathologists, scientists, paramedics, judges, lawyers, police,...). The UIAF develops innovative research programmes in the field of forensic imaging.

Staff

The activities of the UIAF at the Geneva and Lausanne sites are carried out under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Tony Fracasso. The unit is composed of forensic doctors, radiologists, anthropologists, radiographers, secretaries and engineers specialised in 3D surface scanning.

UIAF
	Staff
Head of the unit	Tony Fracasso
Forensic pathologist	Coraline Egger (GE) Pia Genet (LS)
Radiologist	Virginie Magnin
Medical trainee	Sara Fekraoui (LS) Alicia Boz (GE)
TRM	Alejandro Dominguez (LS)
	Christine Bruguier (LS)
	André Guerra (LS)
	Ruben Soto (LS & GE)
	Sami Schranz (GE)
	Francesca Versili (GE)
	Valerie Frossard (LS & GE)
3D surface scanning specialist
3D surface scanning specialist	Géraldine Gobat
Anthropologist	Negahnaz Moghaddam Tobias Hofstetter
Ballistics expert	Fabiano Riva
Secretary	Melissa Jotterand (LS) Annick Crockett-Griessen (GE) Jennifer Schenk (LS)
Consulting doctors	external radiologists

The UIAF also welcomes interns and visiting researchers for varying periods of time, including students (medical, anthropology, radiographer), foreign doctors, post-graduate anthropologists, radiographers who wish to specialise in forensic imaging.