![handle is hein.journals/injlegame122 and id is 1 raw text is: Int J Legal Med (2008) 122:1-5
DOI 10.1007/s00414-006-0145-3
ORIGINAL \RTI(LE
The role of computed tomography in terminal
ballistic analysis
G. N. Rutty - P. Boyce - C. E. Robinson - A. J. Jeffery-
B. Morgan
Received: 7 August 2006 /Accepted: 30 November 2006 / Published online: 5 January 2007
C Springer-Verlag 2007
Abstract Terminal ballistics concerns the science of
projectile behaviour within a target and includes wound
ballistics that considers what happens when a projectile
strikes a living being. A number of soft tissue ballistic
simulants have been used to assess the damage to tissue
caused by projectiles. Standard assessment of these materi-
als, such as ballistic soap or ordnance gelatine, requires the
block to be opened or that a mould to be made to visualize
the wound track. This is time consuming and may affect the
accuracy of the findings especially if the block dries and
alters shape during the process. Therefore, accurate numer-
ical analysis of the permanent or temporary cavity is
limited. Computed tomography (CT) potentially offers a
quicker non-invasive analysis tool for this task. Four
commercially purchased ballistic glycerine soap blocks
were used. Each had a single firearm discharged into it
from a distance of approximately 15 cm using both gunshot
and shotgun projectiles. After discharge, each block was
imaged by a modern 16 slice multi-detector CT scanner and
analysed using 3-D reconstruction software. Using the
anterior-posterior and lateral scout views and the multi-
plane reconstructed images, it was possible to visualize the
G. N. Rutty (L ) A. J. Jeffery
Forensic Pathology Unit, University of Leicester,
Robert Kilpatrick Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary,
Leicester LE2 7LX, UK
e-mail: gnr3@le.ac.uk
P. Boyce
LGC Forensics, Royal Armouries,
Armouries Drive,
Leeds LSI0 ILT, UK
C. E. Robinson - B. Morgan
Imaging Department, Leicester Royal Infirmary,
Leicester LEI 5WW, UK
temporary cavity, as well as the fragmentation and dispersal
pattern of the projectiles, the distance travelled and angle of
dispersal within the block of each projectile or fragment. A
virtual cast of the temporary cavity can be also be made.
Multi-detector CT with 3-D analysis software is shown to
create a reliable permanent record of the projectile path
allowing rapid analysis of different firearms and projectiles.
Keywords Forensic - Radiology - Firearms-
Computed tomography - CT - Mobile - Ballistic soap - Cavity
Introduction
Terminal ballistics concerns the science of projectile
behaviour within a target and includes wound ballistics
that considers what happens when a projectile strikes a
living being [1-3]. A number of soft tissue ballistic
simulants have been used since the introduction of ballistic
gelatine in the 1940s for the investigation of the wound
track, permanent cavity, projectile fragmentation and
injuries incurred. These characteristics are important for
the assessment of determining the legitimacy of a weapon
and its ammunition as well as the surgical treatment of the
injury incurred. The difficulty arises, however, with the use
of materials such as ballistic soap or ordnance gelatine that
unless the material is translucent, the block must be opened
or a mould must be made to visualize the wound track and
thus accurate numerical analysis of the permanent cavity is
limited [4].
In 2001, Korac et al. [5] described the use of computed
tomography (CT) for non-invasive analysis of gelatine
blocks, although the full potential of the use of CT was not
explored. Although other authors have also described the
use of CT for both actual and simulated head gunshot
'_iSpringer](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/injlegame122&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most