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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Death due to fracture of thin calvarial bones after a fall: A forensic approach
Georgios Sioutas1, Maria-Valeria Karakasi2, Stylianos Kapetanakis1
1Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Dragana, GR 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Abstract:
A 45-year-old male was autopsied. He had fallen backwards from a two-stairs height to the ground and passed away. A skull fracture was detected in the left occipital area, extending up to the left side of the skull base. The patient's death occurred due to the very low thickness of the calvarial bones, which led to the aforementioned fracture, and in turn resulted in subarachnoid hemorrhage and death. The cortical thickness was measured and compared with average values at standardized points. Uniform bone thinning was confirmed rather than localized. Calvarial thinning may result from various conditions. In the present case study, however, the exact mechanism which led to the low thickness of the calvarial bones of the patient is undetermined. Death due to the susceptible structure and fracture of calvarial bones has rarely been reported throughout relevant literature.
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