Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Image Rendering Techniques in Postmortem Computed Tomography: Evaluation of Biological Health and Profile in Stranded Cetaceans
Published on: September 27, 2020
Diagnostic value of unenhanced postmortem computed tomography in the detection of traumatic abdominal injuries
A Carballeira Álvarez1, J Mancini2, L Tuchtan-Torrents3
1Department of Radiology, Donostia Hospital (Osakidetza), P° Doctor Beguiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain.
Objective:
To determine the diagnostic capabilities of unenhanced postmortem computed tomography (UPMCT) in detecting traumatic abdominal injuries.
Material And Methods:
Cases of traumatic death with both UPMCT and classical autopsy were collected retrospectively from our institution "virtopsy" database in a period of 5 years. Cadavers with gunshot injuries were excluded. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values of PMCT globally and for hemoperitoneum, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidney injuries individually were estimated using the autopsy report as gold standard.
Results:
Seventy-one cadavers were included. UPMCT had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity 94%, with an accuracy of 83%, a PPV of 98% and a NPV of 59% for the diagnosis of traumatic abdominal injuries. The highest sensitivity was obtained for the detection of hepatic injuries (71%) and the lowest for pancreatic injuries (12%). UPMCT had a specificity of 100% for the detection of hemoperitoneum. A NPV of 98% was found for the detection of perihepatic hematomas.
Conclusion:
The low sensitivity and low NPV do not support the use of UPMCT as an alternative to conventional autopsy to diagnose and/or rule out traumatic abdominal injuries. Nevertheless, UPMCT remains a helpful tool as it helps detect hemoperitoneum and virtually exclude presence of perihepatic hematomas.
Related Concept Videos
Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
Acute Kidney Injury IV: Diagnostic Studies and Prevention
Abdominal Aorta
The celiac trunk, a singular artery, divides into the left gastric artery, which...
Traumatic Memory
Ultrasound I: Abdominal Ultrasonography
Abdominal ultrasonography, commonly known as abdominal ultrasound, is a vital, non-invasive medical imaging technique widely used in healthcare.
Procedure:
This diagnostic tool allows the clinician to visually inspect internal structures within the abdomen, including vital organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, and spleen.
The abdominal ultrasound process begins with applying a special gel to the patient's skin over the abdomen. This gel enhances the...

