Diagnosing coronary artery dissection using virtual autopsy in a resource-poor setting- a case report

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Medical Imaging
• Digital Health

Background:

• Technological advancements are transforming autopsy techniques globally.
• Virtual Autopsy (VA), or Virtopsy, combines innovative technology with Conventional Autopsy (CA).
• This approach offers a non-/minimally invasive method for postmortem examinations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate the application of Virtual Autopsy (VA) in a specific case.
• To demonstrate how VA can aid in identifying the cause of death.
• To highlight the benefits of integrating advanced imaging with traditional autopsy methods.

Main Methods:

• A case of a 65-year-old male with pre-existing conditions found deceased.
• Internal examination revealed hemopericardium and bleeding in the circumflex artery.
• Ex-situ contrast-enhanced radiography was performed on the heart to pinpoint the bleeding source.

Main Results:

• Contrast-enhanced radiography, combined with dissection and histology, accurately identified circumflex artery dissection and rupture.
• This integrated approach facilitated a precise diagnosis in a complex case.
• Virtual Autopsy findings corroborated and guided conventional autopsy procedures.

Conclusions:

• Virtual Autopsy (VA) serves as a valuable adjunct to Conventional Autopsy (CA).
• VA can accentuate findings and enable targeted, system-specific investigations.
• The implementation of VA should be tailored to national resources, expertise, and autopsy rates for maximum benefit.