Abstract: Objective To explore the injury mechanism of ankle fracture inferred by the Lauge-Hansen classification with the application of medical imageology and its application value in forensic medicine. Methods A total of 32 ankle fracture cases with known injury mechanism were collected from January 2013 to May 2018, which were identified in Yongkang Public Security Bureau, Zhejiang Province. The Lauge-Hansen classification of ankle fracture was performed by three forensic experts based on the data of X-ray and CT image. Fisher’s exact test and Kappa consistency analysis were performed by SPSS 20.0 statistical software to compare the results of the Lauge-Hansen classification with the injury mechanism of ankle fracture obtained through the criminal evidence. Results In 32 cases, 84.4% （27/32） ankle fractures were classified according to the Lauge-Hansen classification based on medical imaging. The mechanism of ankle fracture identified by the Lauge-Hansen classification was consistent with that obtained through the criminal evidence. Conclusion Based on medical imaging, the Lauge-Hansen classification can be well applied to infer the injury mechanism of ankle fracture in part cases, and provide objective evidence for the crime scene reconstruction of criminal cases.

Key words: forensic medicine, wounds and injuries, ankle fracture, Lauge-Hansen classification, injury mechanism