Pump injector system applied to targeted post-mortem coronary artery angiography

Area of Science:

• Forensic Medicine
• Radiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging

Background:

• Investigating coronary arteries post-mortem is crucial for determining cause of death.
• Traditional manual injection in post-mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) has limitations, including poor contrast and failure to replicate physiological arterial pressure.
• Iodinated contrast media used in manual PMCTA dissipates rapidly, compromising image quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the development and protocol for using a clinical automatic pump injector for targeted PMCTA.
• To enhance the visualization of coronary arteries in cadavers.
• To overcome the limitations associated with manual contrast media injection in PMCTA.

Main Methods:

• Adaptation of a clinical automatic pump injector for post-mortem use.
• Development of a final protocol based on experience from 74 cases.
• Injection of air and positive contrast media into coronary arteries of cadavers using the pump system.

Main Results:

• The automatic pump injector system successfully visualizes coronary arteries.
• The protocol allows for the translation of clinical pump technology into autopsy practice.
• The method aims to provide optimal contrast and mimic physiological arterial pressure.

Conclusions:

• Clinical automatic pump injectors are suitable for targeted post-mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA).
• This technique offers an improved method for investigating coronary arteries after death.
• The developed protocol provides a standardized approach for utilizing pump injectors in forensic radiology.