Wound ballistics, round 2

✍ Scribed by Michael C Tomlanovich; Eric Barach

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 912 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(85)80910-0

✦ Synopsis

x image size In Reply:

I would like to thank Dr Broome for his comments. We agree that the statement "magnification of bullets ranges from 0 to 25%" would have been better expressed as "magnification ranges from 1.0 to 1.25" or "increase in image over object size ranges from 0 to 25%."

The simplified formula for object size is a good approximation as long as the image size is small, as in the case of a bullet. In the paper the complete formula was used for accuracy and to avoid confusion when larger objects are assessed.

Another point we would like to make with regard to the magnification of the radiograph image involves the use of specialized trauma beds and gurneys in which the radio-graph plate is inserted into a compartment located in the side (Figure ). This added distance from the patient will increase the magnification and must be included in the focus: film distance. Figure shows the effect of increasing the focus: film distance (distance between the object that is radiographed, ie, the bullet, and the film) on the image size.