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Table 1 Grading system for findings suggestive for aspiration within the major airways

From: Detection of blood aspiration in deadly head gunshots comparing postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy

Level

Grade

Major airways

PMCT morphology

Autopsy

0

None

No signs of aspiration

No signs of aspiration

I

Minimal

Slight blood deposits at the wall of the airways

Slight blood deposits at the wall of airways

II

Moderate

Significant blood deposits at the walls of the major airways

Significant blood deposits at the walls of major airways

III

Significant

Maximum signs of aspiration with complete obstruction of the lumen of the airways

Maximum signs of aspiration with complete obstruction of the lumen of airways

  1. The scale ranges from “none” to “significant” whereas none means level 0 and significant level III. Descriptive findings for each, PMCT as well as autopsy are given