A body shows a patterned abrasion on the scalp in the shape of a trefoil. This type of injury is BEST classified as:
- A Incised wound made by a three-pronged weapon
- B Laceration caused by a sharp-edged instrument
- C Patterned contusion/abrasion (imprint injury) replicating the shape of the blunt object used, useful in identifying the causative weapon ✓
- D Artefactual skin splitting due to post-mortem decomposition gas expansion
Correct answer: C. Patterned contusion/abrasion (imprint injury) replicating the shape of the blunt object used, useful in identifying the causative weapon
Explanation
A patterned abrasion or contusion replicates the shape and surface texture of the blunt object that caused it. The imprint of a specific shaped object (tyre tread, knuckle duster, hammer head, vehicle grille) provides direct evidence of the nature of the weapon. A trefoil pattern suggests a three-pronged object. Incised wounds are made by sharp cutting instruments and have clean edges; lacerations from blunt force have irregular edges with bridging tissue. Postmortem decomposition artefacts are diffuse and non-patterned.
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.