Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
10:34
Double Direct Injection of Blood into the Cisterna Magna as a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Published on: August 30, 2020
Is acute subdural hematoma reduced during the agonal stage and postmortem?
Go Inokuchi1, Daisuke Yajima, Mustumi Hayakawa
1Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan. goinokuchi@graduate.chiba-u.jp
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|June 7, 2012
Summary
Postmortem CT scans can change rapidly. Acute subdural hematomas may appear smaller postmortem, risking misdiagnosis if investigations are delayed.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Pathology
Background:
- Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is increasingly used in forensic investigations.
- Understanding postmortem changes is crucial for accurate PMCT interpretation.
- Antemortem and postmortem imaging findings can differ significantly.
Observation:
- Two cases of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) with ante- and postmortem imaging are presented.
- Images revealed significant hematoma reduction and diminished midline shift postmortem.
Findings:
- The observed reduction in ASDH occurred without surgical intervention.
- These changes highlight the dynamic nature of postmortem findings.
Implications:
- Delayed investigation of ASDH cases may lead to the disappearance of critical diagnostic evidence.
- This phenomenon poses a risk of misdiagnosis in determining the cause of death using PMCT.
