Radiological appearance of physical elder abuse.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Geriatrics
• Forensic Medicine

Background:

• Elder abuse is a significant public health issue.
• Radiologic imaging plays a crucial role in identifying physical trauma.
• Specific imaging findings may indicate non-accidental trauma in elderly individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize radiologic imaging findings of trauma in elderly patients diagnosed with abuse.
• To enhance physician awareness, particularly among radiologists, regarding the signs of elder abuse.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of clinical records and radiological images from 92 elder abuse patients.
• Analysis of patient demographics, admission reasons, comorbidities, fracture characteristics (location, number, type), soft-tissue damage, old fractures, and mortality.

Main Results:

• Most patients (85.9%) presented due to falls.
• Upper extremity trauma was most common (37%), followed by head/neck and chest (30.4% each).
• Ribs were the most frequent fractures, often multiple and posterior. Long bone fractures occurred distally and diaphyseally. Concurrent joint dislocations, soft-tissue lesions, and old fractures were present in 12%, 54.3%, and 19.6% of cases, respectively. Mortality rate was 9.8%.

Conclusions:

• Distinctive fracture features and associated findings are identifiable in abused elderly patients.
• Radiologists should hone their skills in detecting abuse-related fractures.
• A multidisciplinary approach involving radiologists and clinicians is vital for early detection and prevention of elder abuse.