[Detection of methamphetamine in a severely burned cadaver--a case report]

We report an autopsy case of a severely burned cadaver in which methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (A) were detected. A severely burned cadaver was found in a burned-out car on the seashore. At the autopsy, the drug screening test in the urine using Triage system gave positive result for MA and/or A. Qualitative analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) confirmed the presence of MA and A. The concentrations of MA and A (mumol/100 g) were 1.66 in the thermo-coagulated blood, 16.3 in the urine, 4.60 in the cerebrum, 4.11 in the lung, 7.84 in the liver, 0.94 in the skeletal muscle and 0.54 in the bone marrow. From these results, we concluded that the man had been under the moderate MA and A intoxication. The cause of death was diagnosed as the death of fire on the basis of autopsy findings, and the cadaver was identified as the owner of the car by the DNA typing. This case indicated the importance of drug screening tests in autopsy cases. Furthermore, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of MA and A should be successfully performed by GC/MS even in the case of severely burned cadaver.