Comparison of stab wound probing versus radiological stab wound channel depiction with contrast medium

Bolliger, Stephan; Ruder, Thomas; Ketterer, Thomas; Gläser, Nadine; Thali, Michael J; Ampanozi, Garyfalia (2014). Comparison of stab wound probing versus radiological stab wound channel depiction with contrast medium. Forensic science international, 234, pp. 45-49. Elsevier Scientific Publ. Ireland 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.031

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BACKGROUND

Instillation of contrast medium into stab wounds has shown promising results regarding visibility and assessment of general stab direction with computed tomography. However, the accuracy of this method--and, incidentally also probing of stab wounds--has to our knowledge not previously been examined. Also the effect of bluntness of different stabbing objects on the examination of stab wounds was not considered before this study.

METHODS

Using a pocket-knife, a steak-knife, and a Phillips screwdriver, nine stab wounds each were inflicted to three pork haunches. The depths of the stab wounds were determined by probing and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) after instillation of a contrast medium (CM) and then compared to those observed by dissection, our internal "gold standard".

RESULTS

In stab wounds inflicted by knives, MSCT-CM and probing provided results which differed by roughly 10-11% from the dissection results. In screwdriver stabs MSCT-CM showed a deviation of almost 30%, probing over 33%.

DISCUSSION

MSCT-CM is a possible alternative to layer-by-layer dissection in autopsy cases of knife stab wounds. Probing, although obsolete in post-mortem examinations, is sufficiently accurate in determining the length of a stab wound of a living person. In cases of stab wounds with blunt objects such as screwdrivers, neither MSCT-CM nor probing proved to be sufficiently accurate.

CONCLUSION

MSCT-CM is a possible alternative to layer-by-layer dissection in autopsy cases of knife stab wounds. Probing, although obsolete in post-mortem examinations, is sufficiently accurate in determining the length of a stab wound of a living person. In cases of stab wounds with blunt objects such as screwdrivers, neither MSCT-CM nor probing proved to be sufficiently accurate.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology

UniBE Contributor:

Bolliger, Stephan, Ruder, Thomas, Ketterer, Thomas

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0379-0738

Publisher:

Elsevier Scientific Publ. Ireland

Language:

English

Submitter:

Aisha Stefania Mzinga

Date Deposited:

10 Oct 2014 09:59

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:34

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.031

PubMed ID:

24378301

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Contrast medium Forensic imaging MSCT Stab channels Virtopsy

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.52402

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/52402

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