Citation

Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn T, Robben SG, Karst WA, Moesker FM, van Aalderen WM, Laméris JS, van Rijn RR. Eur. J. Radiol. 2014; 83(3): 584-588.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine, Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center/Emma Children's Hospital, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.r.vanrijn@amc.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.11.015

PMID

24360233

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether imaging findings can be used to differentiate between impact and non-impact head trauma in a group of fatal and non-fatal abusive head trauma (AHT) victims. METHODS: We included all AHT cases in the Netherlands in the period 2005-2012 for which a forensic report was written for a court of law, and for which imaging was available for reassessment. Neuroradiological and musculoskeletal findings were scored by an experienced paediatric radiologist. RESULTS: We identified 124 AHT cases; data for 104 cases (84%) were available for radiological reassessment. The AHT victims with a skull fracture had fewer hypoxic ischaemic injuries than AHT victims without a skull fracture (p=0.03), but the relative difference was small (33% vs. 57%). There were no significant differences in neuroradiological and musculoskeletal findings between impact and non-impact head trauma cases if the distinction between impact and non-impact head trauma was based on visible head injuries, as determined by clinical examination, as well as on the presence of skull fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroradiological and skeletal findings cannot discriminate between impact and non-impact head trauma in abusive head trauma victims.

Language: en