Foreword

Abuse of any kind is always disturbing. When the victim is a defenseless child, our moral indignation naturally intensifies. Evidence of child abuse must be investigated thoroughly and conscientiously in order that its perpetrators may be stopped and its victims protected.

Diagnostic imaging studies may provide the first clues to physical abuse. Although their scope is somewhat restricted, such studies often prove critical in determining whether abuse has occurred.

While the techniques described in this guide are noninvasive and entail minimal risk, they are important tools in examining skeletal and intracranial injuries and other trauma. The contributing authors' diagnostic recommendations regarding shaken baby syndrome are particularly timely.

The purpose of investigating potential cases of child abuse, as with all law enforcement investigations, is to determine the truth accurately and impartially. It is my hope that Diagnostic Imaging of Child Abuse will aid in that crucial determination.