Vogeley 2002 Protocol
Definition
A UV-A reflectance photography protocol published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences (2002) demonstrating improved detection of latent bruising on dark skin tones, now referenced in paediatric forensic-medical examination guidelines.
- Imaging modality
- UV-A reflectance photography
- Publication year
- 2002
- Journal
- Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
- Application
- Detecting latent bruising on dark skin tones
- Later use
- Referenced in paediatric forensic-medical examination guidelines
Common questions
Why does UV-A reflectance help reveal bruises that are hard to see under white light?+
Bruising alters the skin's subsurface light scattering and absorption, and these differences can register more clearly under UV-A wavelengths than under visible light, especially where melanin in darker skin otherwise masks the colour change seen in lighter skin.
Is UV-A reflectance photography a replacement for a physical examination of bruising?+
No. It is a documentation and detection aid used alongside clinical examination, since imaging findings still need to be interpreted by an examiner assessing the bruise's pattern, age, and consistency with the reported history.
Related terms
- ALS (Alternate Light Source)
- An adjustable-wavelength high-intensity light source with interchangeable excitation filters, used for scene examination across UV, visible, and NIR bands; examples include the...
- Barrier Filter
- An optical long-pass filter placed over the camera lens and worn as goggles by the examiner during ALS examination; blocks the excitation...
- DFO (1,8-Diazafluorenone)
- A chemical reagent for latent fingerprint development on porous surfaces (paper) that produces yellow-green fluorescence under 505-530 nm ALS excitation; effective on...
- Hot Mirror (IR-Cut Filter)
- The infrared-blocking filter bonded in front of the digital sensor in consumer and professional cameras; must be removed or bypassed for NIR...
- Infrared Luminescence (IRL)
- A photophysical process where visible-light absorption produces NIR emission; exploited in questioned-document examination to differentiate and sequence ink strokes with different luminescent...
- Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF)
- Fluorescence excited by a monochromatic laser source, providing higher photon density than a broadband ALS; used for fingerprints on difficult substrates and...
- NIR (Near-Infrared)
- The spectral region from approximately 700 to 1100 nm; used in reflectance and transmittance imaging of documents, obliterated text, soot patterns under...
- Stokes Shift
- The wavelength difference between the excitation peak and the emission peak of a fluorophore. A positive Stokes shift (emission at longer wavelength...
- Time-Gated Detection
- A laser fluorescence technique that delays camera shutter opening by nanoseconds after the laser pulse to allow short-lived background fluorescence to decay...
- UV-a
- The ultraviolet band from 315 to 400 nm; the primary band used for UV-reflectance forensic imaging of bruises, GSR, and bite marks...
- UV Reflectance Imaging
- Photography using UV-A/near-UV-B incident radiation and a UV-pass, visible-blocking lens filter; reveals surface scatter differences in tissue and substrate chemistry not visible...