EXTRACRANIAL SOFT-TISSUE SWELLING - A NORMAL POSTMORTEM RADIOGRAPHIC FINDING OR A SIGN OF TRAUMA

Objective. To determine if extracranial soft-tissue swelling is an exp ected postmortem finding or a sign of trauma. Materials and methods. E xtracranial soft-tissue thickness was measured at 5 standardized locat ions on postmortem skull films obtained of 18 infants with no evidence of trauma on autopsy. The same measurements were performed on the sku ll films of 100 living children, all less than 3 years old and without clinical history of trauma. Results. Extracranial soft tissues measur ed only slightly greater in the postmortem group than on films of livi ng children; however: the difference did achieve statistical significa nce. Conclusion. Minimal extracranial soft-tissue swelling is a normal finding on a postmortem skeletal survey. The presence of substantial or asymmetric extracranial soft-tissue swelling should be viewed with suspicion for trauma.