{"title":"A pathological lesion or a postmortem artefact? An interdisciplinary approach to deal with an interesting early medieval case","authors":"Martina Fojtová , Jan Křístek , Lukáš Kučera","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpp.2023.10.003","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>This study evaluates a case of pseudopathology and the effects that postmortem taphonomic changes and environmental influences can have on bone.</p></div><div><h3>Material</h3><p>A skeleton of a young male from the early medieval site Staré Město, dated to the 9th–10th century CE.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p><span>The skeletal remains were subjected to detailed macroscopic and X-ray examination, and then a CT scan and </span>XRF analysis were performed.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p><span>X-ray examination of the mandible revealed unusually dense structures, whose appearance was not consistent with any known pathology. Based on the results of CT scanning, it was hypothesized that these were cavities filled with </span>alluvial sediment. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), focusing on the determination of the silica content, revealed a high intensity of silica in the samples of the affected area of the bone.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The hypothesis that the inclusions were composed of waterborne sediment was supported.</p></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><p>Although it is well known that soil can infiltrate bones buried in the ground, its appearance on plain radiographs is not that commonly known. The case illustrates the usefulness of differentiating true pathologies from postmortem alterations to avoid inappropriate interpretations.</p></div><div><h3>Limitations</h3><p>No similar cases have been described.</p></div><div><h3>Suggestion for further research</h3><p>In palaeopathological evaluation, the use of multiple imaging and evaluative techniques should be implemented to differentiate pathological lesions from pseudopathology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48817,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Paleopathology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Pages 93-98"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Paleopathology","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879981723000591","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PALEONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
This study evaluates a case of pseudopathology and the effects that postmortem taphonomic changes and environmental influences can have on bone.
Material
A skeleton of a young male from the early medieval site Staré Město, dated to the 9th–10th century CE.
Methods
The skeletal remains were subjected to detailed macroscopic and X-ray examination, and then a CT scan and XRF analysis were performed.
Results
X-ray examination of the mandible revealed unusually dense structures, whose appearance was not consistent with any known pathology. Based on the results of CT scanning, it was hypothesized that these were cavities filled with alluvial sediment. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), focusing on the determination of the silica content, revealed a high intensity of silica in the samples of the affected area of the bone.
Conclusion
The hypothesis that the inclusions were composed of waterborne sediment was supported.
Significance
Although it is well known that soil can infiltrate bones buried in the ground, its appearance on plain radiographs is not that commonly known. The case illustrates the usefulness of differentiating true pathologies from postmortem alterations to avoid inappropriate interpretations.
Limitations
No similar cases have been described.
Suggestion for further research
In palaeopathological evaluation, the use of multiple imaging and evaluative techniques should be implemented to differentiate pathological lesions from pseudopathology.
期刊介绍:
Paleopathology is the study and application of methods and techniques for investigating diseases and related conditions from skeletal and soft tissue remains. The International Journal of Paleopathology (IJPP) will publish original and significant articles on human and animal (including hominids) disease, based upon the study of physical remains, including osseous, dental, and preserved soft tissues at a range of methodological levels, from direct observation to molecular, chemical, histological and radiographic analysis. Discussion of ways in which these methods can be applied to the reconstruction of health, disease and life histories in the past is central to the discipline, so the journal would also encourage papers covering interpretive and theoretical issues, and those that place the study of disease at the centre of a bioarchaeological or biocultural approach. Papers dealing with historical evidence relating to disease in the past (rather than history of medicine) will also be published. The journal will also accept significant studies that applied previously developed techniques to new materials, setting the research in the context of current debates on past human and animal health.