Imaging findings in patients after the bomb explosion in Somalia on December 28, 2019

This study aimed to present the radiological findings of injuries in victims as a result of a suicide bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Of the 82 injured cases admitted to the emergency department within the first six hours after the explosion, those who were radiologically evaluated were included in this retrospective and descriptive study. To analyze and identify the distribution of primary, secondary, and tertiary injuries, they were classified according to the body areas as head-neck, thorax, abdominopelvic, extremity, and vertebra.

The mean age (mean ± SD) of 63 patients included in the study was 28.6 ± 10.2 years. Twenty-four (38.1%) of the injured patients were female and 39 (61.9%) were male. Secondary blast injury was the most common type of injury in the study group with a rate of 39/63 (62%). The total number of bomb fragments was 235, of which 113 (47.8%) were seen in the head and neck region, followed by 86 (36.5%) in the extremities. There were 10 patients (15.9%) with lung injury and 13 (20.6%) with tympanic membrane perforation due to the primary blast mechanism.

Radiological imaging plays an important role in identifying specific findings and patterns of explosive injuries. Therefore, we consider that patients with stable hemodynamics should be radiologically examined for a fast and accurate diagnosis or treatment.