Electrocution can result in deposits of metals into the skin at the site of the electrical injury.
Patient selection: suspected electrocution (or sudden unexplained death) with skin lesions
Metal in contact with the skin may become deposited into the skin.
Metals can be identified using a variety of methods:
(1) atomic absorption spectroscopy
(2) scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
(3) confocal laser scanning microscope
(4) imaging mass spectrometry
The presence of metals confirms the diagnosis and may indicate the contact electrode. The absence of metals does not exclude the diagnosis.
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Specialty: Emergency Medicine
