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Detection of blood aspiration in deadly head gunshots comparing postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy

Overview of attention for article published in European Journal of Medical Research, November 2016
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Title
Detection of blood aspiration in deadly head gunshots comparing postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy
Published in
European Journal of Medical Research, November 2016
DOI 10.1186/s40001-016-0237-6
Pubmed ID
Authors

E. Scaparra, O. Peschel, C. Kirchhoff, M. Reiser, S. M. Kirchhoff

Abstract

The aim of our study was to analyze the reliability of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) versus autopsy in detecting signs of blood aspiration in a distinct group of patients following deadly head, mouth or floor of mouth gunshot injuries. In this study, in 41 cases PMCT was compared to autopsy reports, the gold standard of postmortem exams, regarding detection of blood aspiration. PMCT was evaluated for the presence and level of typical signs of blood aspiration in the major airways and lung using a semi-quantitative scale ranging from level 0 (no aspiration) to 3 (significant aspiration) also taking density values of the described potential aspiratory changes into account. Overall, in 29 (70.7%) of 41 enrolled cases PMCT and autopsy revealed the same level of aspiration. A difference of one level between PMCT and autopsy resulted for 5 (12.2%) of the remaining 12 cases. More than one level difference between both methods resulted for 7 cases (17.2%). Autopsy described no signs of aspiration in 10 cases, compared to 31 cases with reported blood aspiration. In contrast, PMCT revealed no signs of blood aspiration in 15 cases whereas 26 cases were rated as positive for signs of aspiration in the major airways. In 18 of these 26 cases considered positive for blood aspiration by autopsy and PMCT, clear signs of aspiration signs were also described bilaterally by both methods. The presented study provides evidence for the assumption that PMCT seems to be helpful in the detection of blood aspiration in cases of deadly head gunshots. In conclusion, it seems reasonable to suggest performing PMCT additionally to traditional postmortem exams in cases of suspected aspiration to rule out false-negative cases and to possibly allow for a more detailed and rather evidence based examination reconnoitering the cause of death. However, the adequate use of PMCT in this context needs further evaluation and the definition of an objective scale for aspiration detection on PMCT needs to be established in future studies.

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The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 21 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 21 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Bachelor 5 24%
Unspecified 2 10%
Professor 2 10%
Student > Master 2 10%
Researcher 2 10%
Other 6 29%
Unknown 2 10%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 10 48%
Unspecified 2 10%
Neuroscience 2 10%
Immunology and Microbiology 1 5%
Nursing and Health Professions 1 5%
Other 1 5%
Unknown 4 19%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 13 November 2016.
All research outputs
#22,759,452
of 25,374,647 outputs
Outputs from European Journal of Medical Research
#728
of 923 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#277,955
of 317,808 outputs
Outputs of similar age from European Journal of Medical Research
#3
of 3 outputs
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