Four intracranial injury cases with peripapillary scleral hemorrhage—Reconsidering the mechanism of hemorrhage

New Insights into the Diagnosis and Age Determination of Retinal Hemorrhages from Abusive Head Trauma: A Systematic Review

(1) Background: Head trauma represents the first cause of death in abused children, but diagnostic knowledge is still limited. The characteristic findings of abusive head trauma (AHT) are retinal hemorrhages (RH) and additional ocular findings, including optic nerve hemorrhages (ONH). However, etiological diagnosis must be cautious. (2) Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards were employed, and the research focus was the current gold standard in the diagnosis and timing of abusive RH. (3) Results: Sixteen articles were included for qualitative synthesis. The importance of an early instrumental ophthalmological assessment emerged in subjects with a high suspicion of AHT, with attention to the localization, laterality, and morphology of the findings. Sometimes it is possible to observe the fundus even in deceased subjects, but the current techniques of choice consist of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography, also useful for the timing of the lesion, the autopsy, and the histological investigation, especially if performed with the use of immunohistochemical reactants against erythrocytes, leukocytes, and ischemic nerve cells. (4) Conclusions: The present review has made it possible to build an operational framework for the diagnosis and timing of cases of abusive retinal damage, but further research in the field is needed.

A Case of Personal Identification Via Postmortem Computed Tomography Confirmation of Aphakic Eyes

Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is used commonly in forensic medicine. Postmortem computed tomography of the head provides information on the eyes and orbits and may reveal intraocular abnormalities. We present a case in which the identity of a deceased man was confirmed by the presence of aphakic eyes detected on PMCT. A decomposed body was found in a house and suspected to be a man in his 40s who lived alone. Autopsy identified pontine hemorrhage as the cause of death. Although signs of previous dental treatment were evident, the storage period of the householder's dental records had expired. He had no family members to provide DNA for a comparative DNA analysis. Postmortem computed tomography before autopsy revealed aphakia (ie, the absence of eye lenses) suggestive of previous ocular surgery. His medical records revealed that he had undergone ocular surgery for secondary glaucoma due to uveitis, which had resulted in artificial aphakia. Peripheral iridectomy scars fully matched the findings in his medical records, thus identifying the body. The unusual finding of artificial aphakia in a man in his 40s facilitated the personal identification in this case. In conclusion, PMCT provides additional information, and the correct interpretation of intraocular PMCT findings by forensic pathologists is crucial.