3D reconstruction of emergency cranial computed tomography scans as a tool in clinical forensic radiology after survived blunt head trauma—Report of two cases

• Published in: Forensic science international 2011-04, Vol.207 (1), p.e19-e23
• Main Authors: Grassberger, M, Gehl, A, Püschel, K, Turk, E.E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D rendering; Aged, 80 and over; Blunt head trauma; Brain; Clinical forensic radiology; Female; Forensic Medicine; Forensic radiography; Forensic sciences; Fractures, Comminuted - diagnostic imaging; Head injuries; Homicide; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Male; Middle Aged; Pathology; Skull Fracture, Depressed - diagnostic imaging; Skull Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Survivors; Three dimensional imaging; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Trauma
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.11.014

Abstract When requested to evaluate surviving victims of blunt head trauma the forensic expert has to draw mainly on medical documentation from the time of hospital admission. In many cases these consist of written clinical records, radiographs and in some cases photographic documentation of the injuries. We report two cases of survived severe blunt head trauma where CT images, which had primarily been obtained for clinical diagnostic purposes, were used for forensic assessment. 3D reconstructions of the clinical CT-images yielded valuable information regarding the sequence, number and direction of the impacts to the head, their gross morphology and the inflicting weapon. We conclude that computed tomography and related imaging methods, along with their 3D reconstruction capabilities, provide a useful tool to approach questions in clinical forensic casework.