Characterisation of explosive fragments injuring the neck

Area of Science:

• Ballistics
• Trauma Surgery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Explosive fragments cause common neck injuries in UK service personnel in Afghanistan.
• Analysis of these fragments is crucial for developing effective ballistic protective materials.
• Limited availability of excised fragments poses challenges for representative analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze computed tomograms (CTs) of explosive fragments in soldiers' necks.
• To classify fragment shapes and estimate their dimensions, volume, and mass.
• To compare estimated fragment properties with actual excised fragments.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of CT scans from 110 UK soldiers with neck wounds from explosive fragments.
• Classification of fragment shapes (cylinders, spheres) and measurement of dimensions.
• Comparison of estimated and actual fragment masses using a general linear model.

Main Results:

• Cylinders (52%) and spheres (21%) were the most common fragment shapes.
• Estimated and actual fragment masses showed no significant difference (p=0.64).
• A 0.49 g fragment-simulating projectile represented 85% of neck-retained fragments.

Conclusions:

• CT imaging accurately determines explosive fragment characteristics, increasing analysis sample size.
• This methodology can inform the design of more appropriate simulated projectiles for testing ballistic materials.
• Applying this CT-based analysis to fragments in other body regions can broaden recommendations for protective gear.