Forensic Aspects of Paediatric Fractures - Differentiating Accidental Trauma from Child Abuse

This excellently illustrated book, now in a revised and extended second edition, not only describes the radiological findings which can be found in child abuse cases but also places them in a forensic perspective - a crucial aspect often underrepresented in radiological books. The aim is to enable physicians involved in non-accidental trauma cases to interpret radiological findings in light of the forensic circumstances under which these findings have arisen. Accordingly, the book will assist in determining whether a fracture is accidental or the result of abuse. Fractures are addressed not only by anatomical location but also by trauma mechanism, with careful attention to evidence regarding the reported mechanism and the clinical outcome. Drawing on the latest literature, the authors explain whether a particular form of trauma can cause a particular injury and identify where the reader can find the supporting evidence. The book will be essential reading and a superb reference for all who are involved in the diagnosis of child abuse, including pediatricians, emergency room physicians, and radiologists. It will also be a valuable resource for legal medicine physicians, lawyers, and judges.

Rob A.C. Bilo graduated as a medical doctor at the Free University Amsterdam in 1981. He started working as a child abuse physician in 1988 and, from 2000 until his retirement in 2019, worked as a forensic physician / consultant in forensic paediatrics in several institutions, the last 11 years at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Netherlands Forensic Institute. In 2020 he started working as consultant in forensic medicine / child abuse physician at Veilig Thuis Rotterdam Rijnmond (Center for the Reporting of Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse). In 2013 he published 'Cutaneous manifestations of child abuse and their differential diagnosis' (together with Arnold P. Oranje, Tor Shwayder, and Christopher J. Hobbs)(Springer, 2013). He also has published many articles in peer-reviewed journals and many chapters in textbooks.

Simon G.F. Robben graduated medical school 1982 at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. He completed his training as a radiologist in 1987 at the same university. From 1987-2000 he worked as a paediatric radiologist at the Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam. In 1999 he obtained his PhD on the thesis 'Ultrasonography of the painful hip in childhood'. Since 2000 he works as a paediatric radiologist in Maastricht UMC +.

In 2012 he was appointed as Professor of Medical Imaging Education. His subspecialisation is paediatric radiology with specific areas of interest abdominal ultrasound in children and child abuse. In addition to his clinical work,  he is the consulting paediatric radiologist of the Maastricht Forensic Radiological Unit and he is also a member of several radiological associations and paediatric radiological working groups, both nationally and internationally. He regularly gives lectures in the Netherlands and abroad on paediatric radiology and educational topics. 

He is an author of over 100 articles and numerous book chapters on paediatric radiology, including non-accidental injury.

?Rick R. van Rijn graduated as a medical doctor at the Erasmus Medical University Rotterdam in 1994 and obtained his PhD at the same university in 1998. In 2002 he completed his training as a radiologist, at the Erasmus Medical Center and the Academic Medical Center. Since 2003 he has worked as a pediatric radiologist in the Department of Radiology of the Emma Children's Hospital - Academic Medical Center Amsterdam. As of 2010, he has also worked at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Netherlands Forensic Institute. In June 2012 he became the first chair of the Post-mortem and Forensic Radiology Committee of the Dutch Radiological Society. In June 2014 he was appointed professor of forensic radiology with an emphasis on forensic pediatric radiology. In 2016 he served as the chair of the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging. Dr. van Rijn's main field of interest is imaging of child abuse. He has published well over 150 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and is an editorial board member of various leading medical journals.