Case Report

The scoliosis of Richard III, last Plantagenet King of England: diagnosis and clinical significance

In this brief communication we discuss issues concerning scientific rigour in palaeopathological publications, particularly studies published in clinical or general science journals, that employ skeletal analysis to elucidate the lives and deaths of historical figures or interpret “mysterious” assemblages or burials. We highlight the relationship between poor methodological rigour and lack of interdisciplinary communication, and discuss how this can result in scientifically weak, sensational narratives being presented to the public.

Although most high profile publications involving analysis of archaeological human remains are methodologically sound and well interpreted, others have suffered from poor scientific rigour stemming from an apparent lack of awareness of anthropological methods and ethics. When these publications are highlighted by the press, sensationalistic narratives are perpetuated which may reflect poorly on our discipline and give the public unrealistic expectations about our work.

We suggest that best practice in high-profile paleopathological research include recruitment of a range of authors and reviewers from clinical sciences, anthropology, and the humanities, consideration of the ethical issues surrounding retrospective diagnosis, and transparency with the press in regards to the limitations inherent in this kind of work.

Exchanging broken or worn out turbine blades is an expensive and time critical task that can be cheapened by providing the required spare parts with minimal lead time to shorten inevitable downtimes. Unfortunately, maintenance work is impeded by the absence of easily obtainable part designations or blueprints, which holds in particular for older devices or ones originating from other manufacturers. Here, reverse engineering provides a possible remedy, since a precise geometrical representation of the object can be obtained with comparatively low effort. In addition, modern additive manufacturing methods allow the supply of individual exchange parts at short notice. Therefore, we propose a framework based on optical scanning and computed tomography scans with different acceleration voltages in order to generate a reverse engineered part model. Based on this, a copy of a turbine blade is manufactured by use of selective laser melting. The original workpiece and the replica are investigated for deviations that are quantitatively traced back to inaccuracies originating in the manufacturing method and the data acquisition. We were able to produce a replica that exhibits acceptable geometrical deviations for actual productive service in comparison to the original part as well as the initial design.

This chapter outlines the clinical classifications and prognosis for skeletal anomalies, malformations and deformities present at birth. Premature suture fusion, segmentation failure, cleft palate and neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly are discussed. Anomalies are presented in accordance to their location on the skeleton.

The texts written by the people of past societies can provide key information that enhances our understanding of disease in the past. Written sources and art can describe cultural contexts that not only help us interpret lesions in excavated human remains, but also provide evidence for past disease events themselves. However, in recent decades many biohistorical articles have been published that claim to diagnose diseases present in past celebrities or well known individuals, often using less than scholarly methodology. This article aims to help researchers use historical written sources and artwork responsibly, thus improving our understanding of health and disease in the past. It explores a broad range of historical sources, from medical texts and histories to legal documents and tax records, and it highlights how the key to interpreting any past text is to understand who wrote it, when it was written, and why it was written. Case studies of plague epidemics, crucifixion, and the spinal deformity of King Richard III are then used to highlight how we might better integrate archaeological and historical evidence. When done well, integrating evidence from both archaeological and historical sources increases the probability of a complete and well-balanced understanding of disease in past societies.

This paper presents the outcome of the first international forensic radiology and imaging research summit, organized by the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging, the International Association of Forensic Radiographers, the National Institute of Justice of the United States of America, and the Netherlands Forensic Institute. During this meeting, an international and multidisciplinary panel of forensic scientists discussed the current state of science in forensic radiology, and drafted a research agenda to further advance the field. Four groups for further research focus were identified: big data and statistics, identification and biological profiling, multimodal imaging, and visualization and presentation. This paper describes each of these research topics and thereby hopes to contribute to the development of this exciting new field of forensic medical science.