Gunshots to the head: Characteristics on post-mortem CT

Abstract

We demonstrate the efficiency of post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) examinations in the depiction of the forensic relevant characteristics of gunshot wounds to the head. Selected cases of gunshots to the head from the PMCT database of our Forensic Institute are presented. The most important, from a forensic point of view, aspects of these injuries are discussed. The benefits of PMCT examinations as well as their limitations compared to classical autopsy are shown. The presence of metal or bony fragments in the skull cavity, the presence of gas and hemorrhage in the brain parenchyma, the typical characteristics of entry and exit wounds, the fracture patterns and the presence of gunshot residues can be depicted by PMCT. PMCT is an excellent tool, which, combined with the external examination, provides important information regarding differentiation between entry and exit wounds, localization of the projectiles and/or its fragments, the path of the gunshot, and in specific cases, the firing distance.