The UV hand lamp as a helpful instrument for macroscopic visualisation of myocardial fibrosis during autopsy

The application of ultraviolet light in forensic practice is a well-tested method to visualise traces or skin alterations. When viewing myocardial sections under UV light at autopsy, bluish-white fluorescent areas became visible that could not be detected in the seemingly homogenous myocardium in daylight. A systematic comparison of the macroscopic cardiac findings and the pertinent histological sections showed that in all cases with a positive UV fluorescence myocardial fibrosis or lipomatosis could be confirmed by histological methods. The examination for UV fluorescence of the myocardium seems to be a simple and rapid method improving the macroscopic perceptibility of fibrotic changes and minor scars.