Research Progress on the Methodological System for Decomposition Stage Classification in Forensic Medicine

doi:10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2025.450906

Abstract

Abstract:

Accurate classification of postmortem decomposition stages is a critical step in estimating the postmortem interval （PMI） and tracing the initial decomposition environment. Research on the decomposition staging methodological system is gradually shifting from empirical observation to the establishment of systems based on multidimensional quantitative indicators. This paper focuses on two key pathways, “macroscopic morphological evolution” and “microscopic molecular succession”, and systema-tically reviews the evolutionary patterns and applicability of the decomposition staging system in three typical environmental media: surface exposure, burial, and aquatic systems. It also summarizes research progress in constructing stage classification models utilizing microbiome and metabolomic features. Furthermore, it highlights the integrated application of decomposition characteristic quantification techniques, multi-omics data integration, and machine learning algorithms in decomposition analysis systems. It analyzes the prospects and challenges of applying these approaches to build a standardized and practical decomposition staging system, aiming to provide theoretical support for establishing a decomposition staging system with high accuracy and strong adaptability to different environments.

Key words: forensic pathology, decomposition, postmortem changes, postmortem interval estimation, decomposition staging, review

CLC Number:

Qiong JIA, Kai-jun JIN, Shi-qi LIU, Yi-meng ZHANG, Yun-le MENG, Hao NIE, Sheng HU, Fan YANG, Xing-chun ZHAO, Jian YE. Research Progress on the Methodological System for Decomposition Stage Classification in Forensic Medicine[J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2026, 42(1): 34-42.

Figures/Tables 2

References 64

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阶段	PAYNE地表暴露腐败分期体系^[¹²^]	WILSON埋葬腐败分期体系^[¹⁸^]
新鲜期	外观稳定，无明显腐败迹象	尸体完整无腐败；尸僵尸冷，皮肤完整
肿胀期	腹部膨胀呈“气球状”，气体积累，体液外溢	肿胀初期：腹部膨胀，皮肤松动脱毛；土壤-尸体接触面变灰恶臭；关节分离肿胀晚期：持续膨胀，肢体、头部脱节；土壤-尸体接触面变黑；腐败液体自口鼻溢出
活跃腐败期	组织液化加速，体液流失，骨骼显露	气体溢出，软组织液化，肢体完全脱节；土壤湿润恶臭，微生物活动高峰
高度腐败期	大部分软组织消失，尸体显著变干，骨骼暴露	软组织大部分消失，残留皮肤、骨骼、脂肪；尸蜡形成，土壤菌群剧变（需氧菌下降、厌氧菌上升）
干燥期	仅剩干燥皮肤、软骨、骨骼，液化停止	-
残骸期	仅存毛发、骨骼等难分解残留	仅存骨骼，尸蜡消失；土壤状态恢复

阶段	PAYNE地表暴露腐败分期体系^[¹²^]	WILSON埋葬腐败分期体系^[¹⁸^]
新鲜期	外观稳定，无明显腐败迹象	尸体完整无腐败；尸僵尸冷，皮肤完整
肿胀期	腹部膨胀呈“气球状”，气体积累，体液外溢	肿胀初期：腹部膨胀，皮肤松动脱毛；土壤-尸体接触面变灰恶臭；关节分离肿胀晚期：持续膨胀，肢体、头部脱节；土壤-尸体接触面变黑；腐败液体自口鼻溢出
活跃腐败期	组织液化加速，体液流失，骨骼显露	气体溢出，软组织液化，肢体完全脱节；土壤湿润恶臭，微生物活动高峰
高度腐败期	大部分软组织消失，尸体显著变干，骨骼暴露	软组织大部分消失，残留皮肤、骨骼、脂肪；尸蜡形成，土壤菌群剧变（需氧菌下降、厌氧菌上升）
干燥期	仅剩干燥皮肤、软骨、骨骼，液化停止	-
残骸期	仅存毛发、骨骼等难分解残留	仅存骨骼，尸蜡消失；土壤状态恢复

阶段	PAYNE浮尸腐败分期体系^[⁴^]	HAEFNER沉尸腐败分期体系^[²⁴^]
淹没新鲜期	沉底，无腐败分解迹象，软组织完整	沉底，无腐败分解迹象，皮肤完整，无藻类附着
漂浮早期	气体积累上浮，体表膨胀（“巨人观”），昆虫聚集，尸体漂浮	气体积累上浮，体表膨胀，藻类开始附着，尸体漂浮
漂浮腐败期	软组织分解，表皮破裂，昆虫（蝇类）大量产卵，加速分解	漂浮腐败早期：软组织局部分解，表皮变暗脱落，眼球脱离，肌肉萎缩；漂浮腐败晚期：骨骼暴露断裂，尸体形态模糊，藻类形成复杂群落
肿胀变质期	肌肉液化，骨骼部分暴露，幼虫活跃，藻类初步附着	-
漂浮遗骸期	软组织大部流失，骨骼显著暴露，形态难辨	-
沉没遗骸期	剩余组织液化，仅存碎骨沉底，藻类覆盖增加	仅存碎骨沉底，残留组织液化，藻类部分脱落

阶段	PAYNE浮尸腐败分期体系^[⁴^]	HAEFNER沉尸腐败分期体系^[²⁴^]
淹没新鲜期	沉底，无腐败分解迹象，软组织完整	沉底，无腐败分解迹象，皮肤完整，无藻类附着
漂浮早期	气体积累上浮，体表膨胀（“巨人观”），昆虫聚集，尸体漂浮	气体积累上浮，体表膨胀，藻类开始附着，尸体漂浮
漂浮腐败期	软组织分解，表皮破裂，昆虫（蝇类）大量产卵，加速分解	漂浮腐败早期：软组织局部分解，表皮变暗脱落，眼球脱离，肌肉萎缩；漂浮腐败晚期：骨骼暴露断裂，尸体形态模糊，藻类形成复杂群落
肿胀变质期	肌肉液化，骨骼部分暴露，幼虫活跃，藻类初步附着	-
漂浮遗骸期	软组织大部流失，骨骼显著暴露，形态难辨	-
沉没遗骸期	剩余组织液化，仅存碎骨沉底，藻类覆盖增加	仅存碎骨沉底，残留组织液化，藻类部分脱落