Related Experiment Videos
Non-traumatic postmortem computed tomographic (PMCT) findings of the lung
Seiji Shiotani1, Mototsugu Kohno, Noriyoshi Ohashi
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, 1-3-1 Amakubo, City, Ibaraki 305-8558, Tsukuba, Japan. shiotani@tmch.or.jp
Forensic Science International
|December 23, 2003
Summary
Postmortem CT scans of the lung can help identify causes of non-traumatic death. Specific imaging findings like ground glass attenuation correlate with pulmonary edema in acute heart failure cases.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Radiology
- Pulmonary Pathology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Distinguishing postmortem findings from specific thoracic causes of death is crucial in forensic investigations.
- Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) offers a non-invasive method for examining thoracic structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To obtain and describe PMCT images of the lung in non-traumatic deaths.
- To differentiate typical postmortem changes from findings indicative of specific thoracic causes of death.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of PMCT lung images from 150 non-traumatic cases with cardiopulmonary arrest.
- Analysis of imaging findings including dependent density, ground glass attenuation (GGA), consolidation, pleural effusion, and air defects.
- Correlation with autopsy findings in 16 cases.
Main Results:
- Specific patterns of lung findings were associated with different causes of death, such as acute heart failure (AHF) and pneumonia.
- Ground glass attenuation (GGA) on PMCT in AHF cases was confirmed by autopsy to represent pulmonary edema.
- Pleural effusion was a significant finding in aortic dissection cases.
Conclusions:
- PMCT provides valuable information for determining the cause of non-traumatic death.
- Absence of specific findings beyond dependent density on PMCT necessitates further investigation.
- PMCT can aid in identifying pulmonary edema and other thoracic pathologies postmortem.