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home / centre for automotive safety research / Publications / List / Details Publication Details| Title | Road crash cervical injuries: A radiological study of fatalities | | Authors | Cain CMJ, Simpson DA, Ryan GA, Manock CH, James RA | | Year | 1989 | | Type | Journal Article | | Abstract | A lateral radiograph of the cervical spine was obtained for 174 of the 207 persons killed in road crashes in Adelaide, South Australia, during the 12-month period of June 1, 1987 to May 31, 1988. Of the total of 57 cases of cervical injury, routine postmortem examination identified 30 cases (52.6%), and the radiographic examinations identified 51 cases (89.5%). In the cases where it was performed, radiography identified 96.2% of injuries. One-half of injuries of level C3 and above were not reported at postmortem examination, compared with 22% of those occurring below this level. This finding correlates with the physical difficulties of examining the upper part of the cervical spine. This study has shown that lateral cervical radiography is a simple and effective method of more accurately identifying significant cervical spinal injuries, thus improving greatly the value of postmortem examinations in determining the patterns and mechanisms of these injuries. | | Journal Title | The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology | | Journal Volume (Issue) | 10(3) | | Page Range | 193-195 |
| Reference | | Cain CMJ, Simpson DA, Ryan GA, Manock CH, James RA (1989). Road crash cervical injuries: A radiological study of fatalities. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 10(3), 193-195. |
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