NEUROIMAGING FINDINGS IN MRI IN PATIENTS OF ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SUICIDAL HANGING

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Senior Resident Department of Radiodiagnosis North Bengal Medical College and Hospital

2 Head of Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology,North Bengal Medical College and Hospital,West Bengal,India

3 Head of Department of Radiodiagnosis,North Bengal Medical College and Hospital,West Bengal,India

4 JR-2, Department of General Medicine, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital

Abstract

Background: Hanging is a common mode of suicide. Every year, more than 1,00,000 people commit suicide in our country. Although there are a few studies describing Computed Tomography (CT) findings of the neuroaxis in cases of hanging, studies describing findings in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are only a handful. The reason is that most of these patients usually die due narrow fatal period of 3 to 5 minutes before they reach the hospital. Among those who reach the hospital, the poor general condition doesn’t allow the long time required for an MRI. Method: A retrospective study was conducted where the neuroimaging findings in MRI in patients referred from various departments with a history of hanging between June 2020 to June 2023 were analyzed. Results: Most cases of non-fatal hanging revealed no neuroimaging abnormality. Neuroimaging abnormality was present among 29.72% of the cases with Adult-type hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy being the commonest finding (13.51%). Other findings included vascular, bony, spinal cord, and neck muscle injuries in 18.18%,18.18%,9%, and 37.84% cases respectively. Conclusion: Most cases of non-fatal hanging show no pathological neuroimaging findings Among those with abnormal neuroimaging, the findings are predominantly reflective of acute global hypoxic injury. However rare findings like hyoid fracture and vascular dissection may also be encountered. Further investigation and large-scale study are needed in this regard which might help us better understand the pathophysiology of the condition and prognostication of patients based on neuroimaging findings

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Ain Shams Journal of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 March 2024

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