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Visualization and documentation of perimortem traits in long bone fractures using computed tomography

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Abstract

Perimortem fracture patterns in long bones, defined in previous publications, include layered breakage, bone scales, crushed margins, flakes with flake defect, wave lines, and plastic deformation. The traits help professionals during trauma analysis to differentiate peri- from post-mortem fractures. This study will therefore investigate whether these traits can be recorded with Computed Tomography (CT) as the non-invasive 3D imaging technique is becoming more popular in forensic science. CT scans of macerated bone samples (n = 15; humerus: n = 1; ulna: n = 1; radius: n = 1; femur: n = 12) were investigated using multi-planar reconstructions (MPRs) and volume renderings. Tension lines and severe plastic deformation were visible on the individual multi-planar reconstructions (MPRs) and the 3D models. Additionally, layered breakage and flake defects were also clearly distinguishable on the volume renderings. Based on the results, CT imaging may be a useful and fast tool to document, visualize, and analyze findings of blunt force trauma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forensic Anthropology Unit, Institut de Medicina Legal i Ciènces Forenses de Catalunya (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain

    Sarah Scheirs, Marisa Ortega-Sánchez & Ignasi Galtés

  2. Biological Anthropology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Sarah Scheirs & Assumpció Malgosa

  3. Institut de Diagnostic per Imatge, IDI, Hospital Universitari De Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Mònica Cos

  4. Community Outreach and Engagement, The Achavanich Beaker Burial Project, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Hannah McGlynn

  5. Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain

    Marisa Ortega-Sánchez

  6. Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Ignasi Galtés

Authors
  1. Sarah Scheirs
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  2. Mònica Cos
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  3. Hannah McGlynn
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  4. Marisa Ortega-Sánchez
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  5. Assumpció Malgosa
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  6. Ignasi Galtés
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ignasi Galtés.

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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All samples are stored in private collection at the IMLCFC (Barcelona, Spain), registered as a collection at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Reference C.0004241).

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Informed consent was not required for this study.

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Scheirs, S., Cos, M., McGlynn, H. et al. Visualization and documentation of perimortem traits in long bone fractures using computed tomography. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 16, 281–286 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00237-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00237-0

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