Radiologists Can Help Identify Victims of Domestic Violence

Radiologists may play a crucial role in identifying signs of intimate partner violence, a type of domestic violence, according to a study published in the journal Radiology. Radiologists can identify potential violence-related patterns of injury and work closely with referring providers to provide care for the victims.

Intimate partner violence is a serious, preventable social and public health problem that affects millions of Americans. The term describes physical, sexual or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse.

“Radiology has made substantial contributions to the detection of non-accidental trauma in children, and identification of pediatric violence is an essential component of a radiologist’s training, but little is known about the role of imaging in the detection of intimate partner violence,” said Bharti Khurana, M.D., the study’s principal investigator, a radiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Medical images can offer early clues of IPV based on location and pattern of both new and old injuries.”

Source: RSNA Press Release