The Total Body Score (TBS) can be used to described the state of decomposition of a corpse but differs based on how score. One method of scoring is reported by Kim et al. The authors are from Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency and Soonchunhyang University in Korea.
Patient selection: decomposing
Components of total body score:
(1) state of head
(2) state of torso
(3) state of limbs
Stages of decomposition:
(1) fresh (0 points)
(2) early decomposition (1 to 4 points for torso or limbs, 1 to 5 for head)
(3) advanced decomposition (6 to 8 points for head, 5 to 7 for torso, 5 or 6 for limbs)
(4) skeletonization (9 to 12 points for head, 8 to 11 for torso, 7 to 9 for limbs)
|
Description of Head |
Points |
|
fresh, no discoloration |
0 |
|
pinkish appearance, skin exfoliation, some hair loss |
1 |
|
skin gray to green, some flesh relatively fresh |
2 |
|
dry ends of nose, ears, lips brownish or discolored |
3 |
|
decaying body fluid from openings or swollen parts |
4 |
|
skin discolored black to brown |
5 |
|
eyes and neck flesh depressed |
6 |
|
bone exposure in less than half, moist decomposition |
7 |
|
bone exposure less than half, mummified |
8 |
|
bone exposure more than half, decomposed tissue and saponification |
9 |
|
bone exposure more than half, mummified or dry tissue |
10 |
|
most bone dry but some grease/saponification remains |
11 |
|
dry bones |
12 |
|
Description of Torso |
Points |
|
fresh, no discoloration |
0 |
|
pinkish appearance, skin defoliation, marbling |
1 |
|
skin gray to green, some flesh relatively fresh |
2 |
|
decayed body fluids discharged, green discoloration, swelling |
3 |
|
abdominal gas discharged, green to black discoloration |
4 |
|
decreased abdominal cavity from decompositon |
5 |
|
bone exposure less than half, moist decomposition |
6 |
|
bone exposure less than half, mummified |
7 |
|
bone with decayed tissues |
8 |
|
dried bones or mummified tissue over less than half |
9 |
|
most bones dry, still some grease (saponification) |
10 |
|
dry bones |
11 |
|
Description of Limbs |
Points |
|
fresh, no discoloration |
0 |
|
pale or pink skin with peeling on hands and feet |
1 |
|
skin gray to green, some flesh relatively fresh |
2 |
|
dry ends of fingers and toes brownish or discolored |
3 |
|
brown to black skin discoloration, leatherish |
4 |
|
bone exposure less than half, moist decomposition |
5 |
|
bone exposure less than half, mummified |
6 |
|
bone exposure more than half, some decayed tissue |
7 |
|
most bone dry but some grease/saponification remains |
8 |
|
dry bones |
9 |
total body score =
= SUM(points for all 3 regions)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum: 32
Specialty: Clinical Laboratory
