[Use of sonography in splinter injuries: a model simulation]

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Technology

Background:

• Non-visible splinter injuries pose diagnostic challenges in clinical and forensic settings.
• Current diagnostics primarily rely on radiography, with limited application of ultrasound for this indication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of ultrasound in detecting various types of splinters.
• To compare ultrasound detection with conventional radiography and CT scans.

Main Methods:

• Utilized gelatine and meat models containing splinters made of wood, rose thorns, plastics, metal, and glass.
• Evaluated ultrasound's detection capabilities for these splinters.
• Compared ultrasound findings with X-ray images and CT scans where applicable.

Main Results:

• All tested splinters were easily detectable using ultrasound imaging.
• Ultrasound demonstrated superior or comparable visualization to X-ray, especially for challenging cases like rose thorns.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound shows significant potential as an improved diagnostic tool for splinter injuries.
• This technology may enhance both in vivo and post mortem diagnostics compared to conventional X-ray imaging.