What does the liver do?
The liver is a large organ that is located on the upper right side of the body. It is considered part of the digestive system as it detoxifies the products we ingest, including medications, and…
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Liver Failure: Case Summary
Mr. Smith had a significant and lengthy medical history that included Hepatitis C, Cirrhosis, ITP, Diabetes, vertigo, peptic ulcer disease, depression, IV Drug abuse (heroin and cocaine), and prescription narcotic addiction. Mr. Smith’s history of…
Case Study: Burn Injuries
Mr. John Smith, age 40 sustained multiple injuries when he jumped from the second story of a burning house. He was treated at the scene by emergency medical services and transported to the emergency department…
Knife wounds: Directionality/Blade Width
Directionality and blade width may also be determined in a penetrating knife wound. If a hilt mark is present then directionality can be determined easily, but not all penetrating knife wounds have a hilt mark. …
Knife wounds: Patterns
A knife wound can have a distinct patterns, especially if the wound is a penetrating wound or puncture. In a sharp force penetrating injury caused by a knife, what can be learned from the wound…
Knife wounds: Characteristics
Injuries from sharp force trauma, whether it is a knife wound or other sharp object, have specific characteristics that vary based on the motion associated with the wound. Typically, the sharp force wound from a…
Traumatic Injury Categories
Traumatic injuries can be caused by either blunt force trauma or sharp force trauma. Sharp force trauma is a broad category that covers a large group of objects that could cause these injuries. Objects such…
Quality Counts
Image quality can vary significantly which can affect diagnostic accuracy. The most advanced scanner-software combinations produce images that look like the newest high definition TV, but others might look like an old fuzzy TV set from the…
To Err is Human
Radiologists make mistakes just like everyone else; radiologists can misinterpret findings or miss them altogether, most commonly nasal bone fractures and soft tissue contusions seen on head CT for assault. Aside from inherent differences in opinion, the…
Don’t Believe Everything you Read
Radiologist’s reports are interpretations and opinions of imaging exams, not objective results like laboratory tests. The report is ideally performed in conjunction with clinical history, physical exam, and laboratory results, but even given perfect conditions radiologists may disagree…
Munchausen’s: The Offender
What the Caregiver Might Do to Mimic Illness in the Child: Adding chemicals to the child’s urine or stool Withhold food so the child looks like they are anorexic Make up lab results to be…
Munchausen’s: The Victim
According to the literature, boys and girls are equally victimized in Munchausen’s Syndrome, and 77% to 90% of the time, the perpetrator is the child’s biological mother. In addition, 29% of perpetrators have symptoms of…
