The radiographic analysis of a wounded patient questioned of having retained unexploded ordinance.
We present the case of a polytrauma patient brought into a military medical treatment facility in Khandahar, Afghanistan, whom on radiographic evaluation was identified to have multiple retained internal radiodensities, some of which resembled projectiles, not immediately obvious as to type, thus by default necessitating the consideration for retained unexploded ordinance. The ensuing analysis ultimately successfully identified the origin of retained radiodensities as inert fragments from a USSR 50/60 steel cored bullet as opposed to unexploded ordinance.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20889, USA. colin.r.young.mil@mail.mil.
Colin R
CR
Young
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20889, USA.
Matthew E
ME
Grohowski
D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
Military medicine; Polytrauma; Radiology; Unexploded ordinance