MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study
We evaluate the potential value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the examination of survivors of manual strangulation. Our hypothesis was that trauma-induced edema of the cervical muscles might lead to a side difference in the muscle volumes, associated with the handedness of the perpetrator....
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/3/743 |
| _version_ | 1797446849707114496 |
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| author | Marc Marty Akos Dobay Lars Ebert Sebastian Winklhofer Michael Thali Jakob Heimer Sabine Franckenberg |
| author_facet | Marc Marty Akos Dobay Lars Ebert Sebastian Winklhofer Michael Thali Jakob Heimer Sabine Franckenberg |
| author_sort | Marc Marty |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We evaluate the potential value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the examination of survivors of manual strangulation. Our hypothesis was that trauma-induced edema of the cervical muscles might lead to a side difference in the muscle volumes, associated with the handedness of the perpetrator. In 50 individuals who survived strangulation, we performed MRI-based segmentation of the cervical muscle volumes. As a control group, the neck MRIs of 10 clinical patients without prior trauma were used. The ratio of the right to left muscle volume was calculated for each muscle group of the control and strangulation groups. Cutoff values for the assumed physiological muscle volume ratios between the right and left sides were identified from our control group. There was no significant difference among the individuals in the pathological muscle volume ratio between right-handed versus both-handed strangulation for the sternocleidomastoid, pretracheal, anterior deep, or trapezoid muscle groups. Only the posterior deep muscle group showed a statistically significant difference in the pathological muscle volume ratio for both-handed strangulations (<i>p</i> = 0.011). Measurement of side differences in cervical muscle volume does not allow for a conclusion concerning the probable handedness of the perpetrator. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:46:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c56d0799373c487eb1bdc7940f9b44bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:46:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c56d0799373c487eb1bdc7940f9b44bd2023-11-30T20:59:09ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182022-03-0112374310.3390/diagnostics12030743MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective StudyMarc Marty0Akos Dobay1Lars Ebert2Sebastian Winklhofer3Michael Thali4Jakob Heimer5Sabine Franckenberg6Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandClinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandWe evaluate the potential value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the examination of survivors of manual strangulation. Our hypothesis was that trauma-induced edema of the cervical muscles might lead to a side difference in the muscle volumes, associated with the handedness of the perpetrator. In 50 individuals who survived strangulation, we performed MRI-based segmentation of the cervical muscle volumes. As a control group, the neck MRIs of 10 clinical patients without prior trauma were used. The ratio of the right to left muscle volume was calculated for each muscle group of the control and strangulation groups. Cutoff values for the assumed physiological muscle volume ratios between the right and left sides were identified from our control group. There was no significant difference among the individuals in the pathological muscle volume ratio between right-handed versus both-handed strangulation for the sternocleidomastoid, pretracheal, anterior deep, or trapezoid muscle groups. Only the posterior deep muscle group showed a statistically significant difference in the pathological muscle volume ratio for both-handed strangulations (<i>p</i> = 0.011). Measurement of side differences in cervical muscle volume does not allow for a conclusion concerning the probable handedness of the perpetrator.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/3/743MRIsegmentationstrangulationvirtopsy |
| spellingShingle | Marc Marty Akos Dobay Lars Ebert Sebastian Winklhofer Michael Thali Jakob Heimer Sabine Franckenberg MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study Diagnostics MRI segmentation strangulation virtopsy |
| title | MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study |
| title_full | MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study |
| title_fullStr | MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study |
| title_short | MRI Segmentation of Cervical Muscle Volumes in Survived Strangulation: Is There an Association between Side Differences in Muscle Volume and the Handedness of the Perpetrator? A Retrospective Study |
| title_sort | mri segmentation of cervical muscle volumes in survived strangulation is there an association between side differences in muscle volume and the handedness of the perpetrator a retrospective study |
| topic | MRI segmentation strangulation virtopsy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/3/743 |
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