title: An accessory skull suture mimicking a skull fracture.
abstract: This paper describes an investigation of the sudden and unexpected death of a five-and-a-half-month-old boy. As in every Dutch case of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach was used. This included post-mortem radiography, showing a linear discontinuity of the parietal bone. Originally this was interpreted as a skull fracture, but autopsy indicated no signs of mechanical trauma. Instead the defect was defined as a unilateral accessory suture of the parietal bone. The initial erroneous diagnosis had severe adverse consequences and thus every health care professional or forensic specialist dealing with paediatric mechanical traumas should be cautious of this rare anomaly.
authors: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Dept. of Forensic Medical Research, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jorien.wiedijk@hva.nl.
authors: J E F
authors: JEF
authors: Wiedijk
authors: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Dept. of Forensic Medical Research, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: v.soerdjbalie@nfi.minvenj.nl.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Soerdjbalie-Maikoe
authors: Barge's Anthropologica - Leiden. Dept. of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: g.j.r.maat@lumc.nl.
authors: G J R
authors: GJR
authors: Maat
authors: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Dept. of Forensic Medical Research, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.maes@nfi.minvenj.nl.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Maes
authors: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Dept. of Forensic Medical Research, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB, The Hague, The Netherlands; Co van Ledden-Hulsebosch Center, Amsterdam Center for Forensic Science and Medicine University of Amsterdam, Science Park-Building 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.r.vanrijn@amc.nl.
authors: R R
authors: RR
authors: van Rijn
authors: Co van Ledden-Hulsebosch Center, Amsterdam Center for Forensic Science and Medicine University of Amsterdam, Science Park-Building 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Dept. of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Barge's Anthropologica - Amsterdam. Dept. of Anatomy, Embryology and Physiology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: h.h.deboer@amc.nl.
authors: H H
authors: HH
authors: de Boer
mesh_terms: D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000473:pathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010294:Parietal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Accessory skull suture; Child abuse; Forensic pathology; Forensic radiology; Paediatric trauma; SUDI; Skull fracture