[Medicolegal aspects of child abuse]

The prevention and clinical diagnostics of maltreatment of children and adolescents represents a great challenge to all medical disciplines concerned; therefore, an interdisciplinary collaboration is indispensable.

Medicolegal experts require specific radiological examination methods for the differentiation between accidental and non-accidental injuries, depending on the corresponding point in question. In addition, a clear and structured radiological appraisal of the findings is necessary. On the other hand, radiologists require an appropriate succinctly phrased question from the medicolegal expert.

A close collaboration between radiologists and medicolegal experts is mandatory for a better recognition of cases of child abuse; therefore, the joint establishment of diagnostic standards and a comprehensive implementation is necessary.