Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
05:07
Multimodality Diagnosis of Mesenteric Ischemia
Published on: July 21, 2023
Massive systemic fat embolism detected by postmortem imaging and biopsy.
Patricia M Flach1, Steffen G Ross, Stephan A Bolliger
1Centre for Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. patricia.flach@irm.uzh.ch
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|April 28, 2012
Summary
Postmortem imaging, including CT and CT angiography, identified systemic fat embolism as the cause of death. This minimally invasive approach, combined with biopsy, confirmed findings before autopsy.
Area of Science:
- Forensic radiology
- Pathology
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Postmortem computed tomography (pmCT) and pmCT angiography (pmCTA) offer minimally invasive methods for determining cause of death.
- Image-guided biopsy enables precise histological sampling.
Observation:
- This case study details findings of lethal systemic fat embolism (FE) using whole-body unenhanced pmCT, pmCTA, and image-guided biopsy.
- Unenhanced pmCT showed a distinct fat layer in the arterial system and pulmonary trunk.
- pmCTA confirmed these findings, and biopsy validated fatal FE.
Findings:
- Postmortem imaging revealed characteristic fat levels in the arterial system and pulmonary trunk.
- Image-guided biopsy confirmed systemic fat embolism as the cause of death.
- Findings correlated with traditional autopsy and histopathology.
Implications:
- Postmortem imaging combined with image-guided biopsy can establish cause of death prior to autopsy.
- This approach provides new imaging insights into massive, fatal fat embolism.
- Minimally invasive postmortem imaging aids in forensic investigations.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
Diagnosing Pulmonary EmbolismDiagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) involves clinical assessment and advanced imaging tests. The preferred diagnostic tool is the spiral (helical) CT scan or CT angiography (CTA), which uses intravenous contrast media to visualize the pulmonary vasculature and identify emboli.A ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan is an alternative for patients unable to receive contrast media. This scan includes both perfusion and ventilation scanning. Perfusion scanning involves...
01:29Pulmonary Embolism I: Introduction
Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a thrombus, fat or air embolus, amniotic fluid, or tumor tissue blocks one or more pulmonary arteries. These blockages originate in the venous system or the right side of the heart.EtiologyPE primarily arises from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other hypercoagulable states, such as inherited thrombophilias. Additional etiological factors include venous stasis, commonly seen in obesity, and endothelial injury from surgery and trauma. Less common causes include...