Coup-contrecoup pattern

A coup-contrecoup pattern was a medical term referring to the pattern of injury at the site of an impact to the head (coup), relative to the injury on the opposing side of the brain (contrecoup). In forensics, it could be used to determine whether the head or the impact object was moving at the time of the injury.

In 2372, The Doctor surmised from the coup-contrecoup pattern of Frank Darwin's contusion that he had been murdered by a blow to the back of the skull.