Intravital CT and Autopsy Findings in Traumatic Head Injuries: A Comparative Study

Description

Abstract (English)

Background: Any injury to the skull or brain that causes trauma qualifies as a head injury. In
the medical literature, the phrases traumatic brain injury and head injury are sometimes used
interchangeably. One of the major health issues of the present is traumatic injuries.
Approximately 4.5 million people each year globally pass away from trauma in the twentyfirst century. CT scans are frequently used to diagnose injuries and provide details on the
precise location and degree of organ and tissue damage. Whole-body CT is becoming a
common diagnostic tool in cases ofsevere trauma. The final diagnostic test is an autopsy, which
is still regarded as the best diagnostic technique in medicine. Rarely are secondary analyses
conducted because they are never as effective as the initial one. The use of post-mortem
imaging (CT and MRI) has increased although the number of autopsies has declined recently,
mostly due to financial concerns.
Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the reliability and accuracy of CT scan results, as well
as limits in detecting trauma for forensic purposes.
Material and Method: The Department of Forensic Medicine carried out this retrospectiveprospective investigation. At the Department of Forensic Medicine, all fatal head injury cases
underwent a medico-legal autopsy after a prior CT head scan was performed while the patient
was hospitalized. 25 cases totalled in our final dataset, 15 of which were men and 10 of which
were women. When antemortem CT scan records were available, all fatal instances of head
injuries that were subjected to post-mortem inspection were selected for analysis.
Results: The age group with the greatest vulnerability in the current study was those between
the ages of 21 and 30 (13 cases), followed by those under 20 (7 cases). The most vulnerable
age range was between the ages of 21 and 30 (13 instances), followed by the under-20 age
range (7 cases). 19 of the instances included RTA injuries, and the other 3 involved assault and
falls, respectively. At autopsies, scalp injuries were found in 22 out of the 25 cases, although
CT found them in just 28. Of the 25 cases, skull fractures were found at autopsy in 22 cases,
but the CT scan revealed the same thing in 25 cases.
Conclusion: It was found that the diagnosis of different types of brain injury lesions may be
made using a combination of CT scan and autopsy results, which aids in developing better
policies. In forensic medicine, certain injuries that are clinically inconsequential but crucial to
understanding the mechanism of harm and mode of death may be present. A CT scan can
considerably supplement an autopsy's results. It is currently still not viable as a substitute for
the conventional autopsy, nevertheless. Only in a few number of situations is CT scanning
thought to be a viable alternative to an autopsy