To increase the reliability of forensic age estimations in living adolescents and young adults where there is no legitimation for X-ray examinations, it would be desirable to establish radiation-free imaging methods. In the present study, the ossification stage of the distal femoral epiphysis was determined retrospectively in 166 male and 124 female individuals in the age group 10 to 30 years using 3.0T MRI. When evaluating the ossification stage, a combination of the classifications proposed by Schmeling et al. and by Kellinghaus et al. was used. Within the study population, stages 3b, 3c and 4 did not occur in the male sex before the 14th birthday, although the validity of the results is distinctly limited relative to stage 3b in view of the small number of cases. In females, stages 3c and 4 did not occur before the 14th birthday. Stage 4 did not occur in males before the 18th birthday. Should this result be confirmed in future studies, there would be an additional criterion providing evidence that the age of 18 years has been completed.

The establishment of radiation-free examination procedures in the field of forensic age diagnostics in living persons is to be considered of special scientific interest so as to minimize necessary exposure to X-rays while facilitating additional assessment of skeletal development in all cases. To this end, the advantages offered by magnetic resonance imaging in securing a practical application which is as unrestricted and complication-free as possible should be among the methods exploited in investigating such indicators of skeletal maturity. Within the framework of a retrospective study, we investigated the ossification status of the proximal tibial epiphysis on the MRI scans of 124 females and 166 males aged between 10 and 30 years. All the images had been generated on a 3.0 T scanner using a T1-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence. When evaluating the ossification stage, a combination of modified classifications proposed by Schmeling et al. and by Kellinghaus et al. was used. The statistical evaluation included calculation of a variety of measures to describe specific ossification stages as well as kappa coefficients to assess intra- and inter-observer agreement on diagnoses of individual stages. In forensic contexts, completion of the 14th year of life can be adequately evidenced in females with an ossification stage IV according to Schmeling et al. and in males with an ossification stage III c according to Kellinghaus et al. or an ossification stage IV according to Schmeling et al. In forensic contexts, the presence of an ossification stage IV according to Schmeling et al. can prove that the age of 16 years has been exceeded only in the male sex, whereby for age estimation purposes the diagnosis should be in line with other skeletal maturity indicators. The results available displayed a high degree of intra- and inter-observer agreement. Examination of the ossification status of the proximal tibial epiphysis using magnetic resonance imaging represents an effective additional tool for use in radiation-free forensic age diagnostics in living persons.

While previous reports have demonstrated the feasibility of decompressive hemicraniectomy in selected patients with CVST and beginning herniation due to space occupying brain edema, venous infarction and congestional bleeding with mass effect, our rare case supports the notion that this procedure can also be life-saving in pregnant women.

Two cases of distal oesophageal stricture secondary to tracheo-bronchial remnants containing cartilage are presented. The clinical histories and radiographic appearances of these lesions are discussed as is the postulated embryogenesis. A characteristic finding, when present, is the linear collection of barium projecting horizontally from the area of stricture, representing respiratory epithelial ducts.

In the currently implemented form the motion-gated algorithm is inferior to ECG-gated image reconstruction but can be used in patients with an incomplete or corrupt ECG-signal.