Multidisciplinary Approach To Medical Investigation In Saudi Arabia: Integrating Toxicology, Post-Mortem Radiology, And Clinical Nursing Documentation
Published 2025-09-15
Keywords
- forensic toxicology, post-mortem radiology, nursing documentation, medicolegal investigation, Saudi Arabia, multidisciplinary collaboration, forensic sciences
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Abstract
Background: Forensic investigation in contemporary medicolegal practice increasingly demands comprehensive multidisciplinary collaboration to establish accurate determinations of cause and manner of death, particularly in complex cases involving suspected poisoning, trauma, or unexplained mortality.
Objective: This integrative review examines the convergence of three critical forensic disciplines within Saudi Arabian healthcare and medicolegal contexts: forensic toxicology providing analytical detection and quantification of drugs, poisons, and toxic substances; post-mortem radiology offering non-invasive visualization of internal injuries and pathological findings; and clinical nursing documentation preserving critical ante-mortem information regarding patient presentation, treatment, and clinical trajectory.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted examining forensic toxicology practices, post-mortem radiology techniques, clinical nursing documentation standards, and multidisciplinary integration frameworks within Saudi Arabian and international contexts. Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and regional Middle Eastern medical databases for publications from 2014-2025.
Results: The Saudi Arabian forensic landscape presents unique characteristics including Islamic legal framework influences requiring timely burial practices, rapidly expanding forensic infrastructure aligned with Vision 2030 objectives, increasing urbanization and associated mortality patterns, and evolving professional education systems developing indigenous forensic expertise. Effective integration of toxicological analysis, radiological examination, and nursing documentation requires structured collaboration protocols, standardized information exchange mechanisms, coordinated evidence preservation practices, and shared medicolegal training enhancing mutual understanding of each discipline's contributions.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary forensic investigation incorporating toxicology, radiology, and nursing documentation represents the contemporary standard for comprehensive medicolegal death investigation. Implementation within Saudi Arabian contexts requires addressing cultural considerations, infrastructure development, professional training enhancement, and establishment of standardized protocols facilitating seamless information exchange across disciplines.