Abstract #1217

Comparison of MRI of the Neck with External Findings in Survived Manual Strangulation

Kathrin Ogris¹,², Thomas Widek¹, Sonja Monika Pivec¹,³, Thomas Ehammer¹, Gerlinde Komatz⁴, Sabine Grassegger¹,², Kathrin Yen⁵, Eva Scheurer¹,²

¹Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Clinical- Forensic Imaging, Graz, Styria, Austria; ²Medical University Graz, Graz, Styria, Austria; ³UKH Graz, Graz, Styria, Austria; ⁴MRI Institute Private Clinic of the Holy Sisters, Graz, Styria, Austria; ⁵Institue of Forensic and Traffic Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

In surviving victims of strangulation it is important to assure the diagnosis and to gain information allowing for a reconstruction of the assault based on objective findings. The aim of this study was to compare radiological findings of a native MRI with external findings in strangulated subjects regarding the forensic reconstruction of the event. External findings mostly did not correlate with internal injuries; however, the correlation of the injury localization with information on the assault gave insight into possible mechanisms of injury. MRI of the neck might become a standard procedure for the examination of living victims of strangulation.