Forensic pathology: past, present and future.

ABSTRACT

Forensic pathology is the scientific branch which, more than every other, today draws from new technologies inherent to other medical fields. In the last century history of forensic pathology has been characterized by a necessary conjunction between tradition and innovation, which primary achievement is finding the truth and scientific objectivity. During the past centuries several studies have enriched scientific forensic panorama, until the most recent introductions in radiological fields (3D post-mortal CT and MRI) and in the molecular biological one, with disclosure of miRNA. MiRNAs are small, endogenous, single stranded, non-coding RNA molecules identified in plants, animals and DNA virus transcriptome. Various and growing are the fields of application to establish time of death, to evaluate vitality of skin lesions, in cases of head trauma, and cases of acute myocardial infarction. The introduction of new molecular biology techniques will certainly be useful in the coming years to find the "truth" in challenging judicial cases.