Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25566767›Full record

ArticleForensic science, medicine, and pathology2015

Smaller but denser: postmortem changes alter the CT characteristics of subdural hematomas.

Nicole Berger, Lars C Ebert, Garyfalia Ampanozi, Patricia M Flach, Dominic Gascho, Michael J Thali, Thomas D Ruder

Open access · greenAbstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Forensic science, medicine, and pathology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 38% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Nicole BergerDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lars C Ebert
Garyfalia Ampanozi
Patricia M Flach
Dominic Gascho
Michael J Thali
Thomas D Ruder
University of Zurich · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe aim of this study was to investigate if (1) the volume of subdural hematomas (SDH), midline shift, and CT density of subdural hematomas are altered by postmortem changes and (2) if these changes are dependent on the postmortem interval (PMI). MATERIALS AND

methodsAnte mortem computed tomography (AMCT) of the head was compared to corresponding postmortem CT (PMCT) in 19 adults with SDH. SDH volume, midline shift, and hematoma density were measured on both AMCT and PMCT and their differences assessed using Wilcoxon-Signed Rank Test. Spearman's Rho Test was used to assess significant correlations between the PMI and the alterations of SDH volume, midline shift, and hematoma density.

resultsMean time between last AMCT and PMCT was 109 h, mean PMI was 35 h. On PMCT mean midline displacement was decreased by 57% (p < 0.001); mean SDH volume was decreased by 38% (p < 0.001); and mean hematoma density was increased by 18% (p < 0.001) in comparison to AMCT. There was no correlation between the PMI and the normalization of the midline shift (p = 0.706), the reduction of SDH volume (p = 0.366), or the increase of hematoma density (p = 0.140).

conclusionsThis study reveals that normal postmortem changes significantly affect the extent and imaging characteristics of subdural hematoma and may therefore affect the interpretation of these findings on PMCT. Radiologists and forensic pathologists who use PMCT must be aware of these phenomena in order to correctly interpret PMCT findings in cases of subdural hemorrhages.

Indexed as

Multidetector Computed TomographyPostmortem ChangesAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAutopsyCause of DeathFemaleHematoma, SubduralHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsReproducibility of ResultsRetrospective StudiesTime Factors

Identifiers

PMID25566767
OpenAlexW1988856626

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.