Virtopsy: fatal stab wounds to the skull--the relevance of ante-mortem and post-mortem radiological data in case reconstructions

L Oesterhelweg; S Ross; D Spendlove; C A Schoen; A Christe; M J Thali; S A Bolliger

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2007.04.006

Virtopsy: fatal stab wounds to the skull--the relevance of ante-mortem and post-mortem radiological data in case reconstructions

Leg Med (Tokyo). 2007 Nov;9(6):314-7. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2007.04.006. Epub 2007 Jun 12.

Authors

L Oesterhelweg¹, S Ross, D Spendlove, C A Schoen, A Christe, M J Thali, S A Bolliger

Affiliation

¹ Center Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy at the University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern, Switzerland. lars.oesterhelweg@irm.unibe.ch

PMID: 17567525
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2007.04.006

Abstract

Homicides with a survival of several days are not uncommon in forensic routine work. Reconstructions of these cases by autopsy alone are very difficult and may occasionally lead to unsatisfying results. For the medico-legal reconstruction of these cases, ante-mortem and post-mortem radiological imaging should always be included in the expertise. We report on a case of fatal penetrating stab wounds to the skull in which a case reconstruction was only possible by combining the radiological ante- and post-mortem data with the autopsy findings.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Autopsy
Diagnosis
Forensic Pathology / methods*
Homicide
Humans
Male
Skull / diagnostic imaging*
Skull / injuries
Time
Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
Wounds, Stab / diagnostic imaging*