Noninvasive 7  tesla MRI of fatal craniocerebral gunshots – a glance into the future of radiologic wound ballistics

AbstractCompared to computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides superior visualization of the soft tissue. Recently, the first 7  Tesla (7 T) MRI scanner was approved for clinical use, which will facilitate access to these ultra-high-field MRI scanners for noninvasive examinations and scientific studies on decedents. 7 T MRI has the potential to provide a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a characteristic that can be dir ectly exploited to improve image quality and invest in attempts to increase resolution. Therefore, evaluating the diagnostic potential of 7 T MRI for forensic purposes, such as assessments of fatal gunshot wounds, was deemed essential. In this article, we present radiologic findings obtained for cr aniocerebral gunshot wounds in three decedents. The decedents were submitted to MRI examinations using a 7 T MRI scanner that has been approved for clinical use and a clinical 3 T MRI scanner for comparison. We focused on detecting tiny injuries beyond the wound tract caused by temporary cavitatio n, such as microbleeds. Additionally, 7 T T2-weighted MRI highlighted a dark (hypo intense) zone beyond the permanent wound tract, which was attributed to increased amounts of paramagnetic blood components in damaged tissue. Microbleeds were also detected adjacent to the wound tract in the white matter on 7  T MRI. Based on the findings of radiologic assessments, the advantages and disadvantages of postmortem 7 T MRI compared to 3 T MR...
Source: Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology - Category: Forensic Medicine Source Type: research