Interpretasi Uji Diatom pada Sumsum Tulang Femur Korban Tenggelam dengan Riwayat Penyimpanan Jenazah: Sebuah Laporan Kasus

Abstract

The diagnosis of drowning remains a challenge in forensic pathology, as no single autopsy finding is pathognomonic. The diatom test is commonly used as a supplementary examination, but its validity and reliability remain debated, particularly in cases with a prolonged interval of body storage. This report presents a forensic case of a male victim found in the Kalimas River, Surabaya, in which the diatom test was performed on femoral bone marrow after the body had been stored in a forensic freezer for approximately one month. External and internal examinations revealed signs of asphyxia and fluid aspiration, while the diatom test on femoral marrow and lung exudate yielded positive results, with more than ten diatoms per microscopic field, predominantly of pennate morphology. The discussion of this case is supported by a review of recent literature concerning the biological validity, contamination risk, and reliability of the diatom test in specimens with a storage history. The examination findings support a diagnosis of drowning, although interpretation still requires caution regarding possible cross-contamination during the sampling procedure. This case provides a practical contribution to the interpretation of the diatom test in relatively protected organs under controlled body storage conditions.