title: Application of high resolution pQCT analysis for the assessment of a bone lesion: a technical note.
abstract: Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) has found new fields of application in bone medicine, but none of them concerns the forensic practice. This study exposes the potential of pQCT applied to a penetrating lesion in a vertebral body. A pQCT scanner was used for the measurements (XCT Research SA+; Stratec Medizintechnik GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany). A more precise reconstruction of the path of the lesion within the trabecular bone was reached, with more details concerning the morphological characteristics of the lesion inside the vertebral body, and the elaboration of a 3D model was created, which allowed the operator to define the volume of the lack of tissues related to the lesion. The application of pQCT scan proved to be a potentially useful tool for the assessment of bone lesions, although further studies are needed in order to verify its applicability to forensic context.
authors.affiliation: Bone Metabolism Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubinacci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tresoldi
authors.affiliation: Bone Metabolism Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gaudio
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Electronic address: daniele.gibelli@unimi.it.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibelli
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012863:Skeleton; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Bone lesion; Forensic anthropology; Sharp force; pQCT