RADid: A pictorial review of radiologic identification using postmortem CT

•Radiologic identification is a frequently successful but underused technique.•Postmortem CT can be rendered to match almost any AM medical imaging examination.•Instant antemortem record access is possible with modern imaging networks.•Radiologic identification is often a multidisciplinary endeavor.

Radiologic identification (RADid) is a powerful and frequently successful tool for personal identification (ID). Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), in particular, is uniquely well suited for the ID process, given the fact it may be reformatted or rendered to match almost any AM medical imaging examination. RADid may also offer a faster and less expensive alternative to other methods, such as DNA analysis, in selected cases. This paper presents a brief overview of the role, capabilities and techniques of medical imaging in the process of ID, introduces the lines of evidence that can contribute to ID and highlights specific case examples of RADid, with a focus on the use of PMCT for RADid. Although used routinely by various practitioners and institutions (including those of the authors), RADid is, in our opinion, underused in the forensic community. The case examples presented here demonstrate the wide range of IDs that are possible using RADid and will hopefully encourage practitioners in its use.