Contusion
Definition
Bruising without a break in the skin surface. Many bite marks present as contusion patterns: paired arches of discolouration with no laceration. Contusions can evolve over 24 to 72 hours after the bite.
Related terms
- Class Characteristics
- Features deliberately or systematically imparted to a group of items by design or manufacture, such as the calibre of a bullet, the...
- Dental Arch
- The curved row of teeth in the upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular) jaw. The shape and width of each arch is partly...
- Individual Characteristics
- Surface features on a fired bullet or cartridge case that arise from random or unique events (tool wear, corrosion, service damage) and...
- Petechial Haemorrhage
- Tiny pinpoint bleeds within the skin, sometimes visible inside the bite circle as a result of suction. Their presence can help confirm...
- Viscoelasticity
- Skin's combined elastic (spring-back) and viscous (flow) behavior under stress. Because skin is viscoelastic, it deforms under biting pressure in ways that...
Explained in
- Bite Mark Analysis: Anatomy, Mechanism and PatternsBruising without a break in the skin surface. Many bite marks present as contusion patterns: paired arches of discolouration with no laceration. Contusions can...