Forensic Histopathology. Fundamentals and Perspectives

Introduction.- Staining Techniques and Microscopy.- Histopathology of Selected Trauma.- Histopathology and Drug abuse.- Toxin- and drug-associated Pathologies.- Alcohol-Related Histopathology.- Heat, Fire, Electricity, Lightning, Radiation, and Gases.- Hypothermia.- Thrombosis and Embolism.- Vitality, Injury Age, Determination of Skin Wound Age, and Fracture Age.- Aspiraton and Inhalation.- Forensic-Histological Diagnosis of Species, Gender, Age and Identity.- Coronary Sclerosis, Myocardial Infarction, Myocarditis, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Anomalies, and the Cardia Conduction System.- Vascular, Cardia Valve, and Metabolic Diseases.- Lethal Infections, Sepsis, and Shock.- Endocrine Organs.- Pregnancy-Related Death, Death in Newborns, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.- Forensic Cytology.- Autolysis-Putrefaction-Histothanatology.- Forensic Neuropathology.

This second edition, which combines the features of an atlas and a textbook, presents findings in forensic histology, immunohistochemistry, and cytology based on microscopic investigations using different stainings and different antibodies. Questions of quality when working in the field of forensic histology are included as well as scientific perspectives for further research. The principal aim is to provide practitioners with detailed information and guidance on how microscopy can help to clarify the cause of sudden and unexpected death. Therefore additional and particularly rare histopathological findings are presented. Many of the topics will be of interest not only to forensic pathologists but also to general pathologists, whether practitioners or researchers. Examples include the pathology of drug abuse, wound age determination, adverse drug reactions, histopathology of the sudden infant death syndrome, and age determination of myocardial infarction. Both typical and unusual findings are demonstrated with the aid of numerous high-quality color illustrations, and other key literature in forensic histology and immunohistochemistry is highlighted for each topic.

Professor Reinhard Dettmeyer is Head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. Professor Dettmeyer is qualified in both general pathology and forensic pathology, and studied medicine at the University of Dusseldorf and jurisprudence at the Ruhr University, Bochum. Prior to taking up his post in Giessen, he was Senior Physician in the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bonn.

He has written many journal articles on forensic pathology and is co-author of several German language books on child abuse, forensic medicine, and medicolegal issues; in addition, he acted as scientific editor for Volume 2 of the comprehensive Handbuch Gerichtliche Medizin (Handbook of Forensic Medicine). He has also co-authored the book "Forensic Medicine - Fundamentals and Perspectives", published by Springer in 2014.