A bibliometric review of publications on postmortem interval

The postmortem interval (PMI), defined as the time between death and the discovery of the body, plays a crucial role in forensic medicine. Determining the time since death contributes not only to estimating the time and cause of death but also facilitates evidence collection in investigations. This study aims to map the global scientific landscape of PMI-related research and highlight Türkiye’s position within this field. A retrospective search was conducted in the Web of Science database using the keyword “Postmortem Interval.” Articles published between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2024, were included. The articles were evaluated based on language, year, country of origin, authors and affiliations, journals, and citation counts. A total of 281 articles were identified, receiving 4381 citations in total. The majority (97.51%) were published in English. China contributed the highest number of publications (n=75, 26.69%). The most active journal was Journal of Forensic Sciences (n=36). The highest publication frequency occurred in 2017 (n=30). The difficulty in accurately determining PMI maintains the interest and diversity of related research. Bibliometric studies offer a valuable perspective for understanding the current state of forensic science and guiding future research. This study contributes to raising awareness of PMI research in Türkiye and encourages further interdisciplinary collaboration.