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Related Concept Videos

Computed Tomography01:10

Computed Tomography

Tomography refers to imaging by sections. Computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses computers to analyze several cross-sectional X-rays to reveal minute details about structures in the body.
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...

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Image Rendering Techniques in Postmortem Computed Tomography: Evaluation of Biological Health and Profile in Stranded Cetaceans
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Published on: September 27, 2020

Fatal Injuries Caused by Falling Trees: Correlation Between Postmortem Computed Tomography and Forensic Autopsy

Tomoya Kobayashi1, Akihito Usui2, Yoshikazu Okamoto1

  • 1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan.

International Journal of Legal Medicine
|June 3, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Postmortem CT (PMCT) helps identify global injuries in falling tree deaths, but forensic autopsy is crucial for pinpointing the exact cause of death, especially brainstem and cardiac injuries.

Keywords:
AsphyxiaBlunt traumaFalling treesForensic autopsyHaemorrhagic shockPostmortem computed tomography

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Pathology
  • Radiology
  • Trauma Medicine

Background:

  • Falling trees cause severe blunt trauma, but detailed correlations between postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and forensic autopsy findings are limited.
  • Understanding these correlations is vital for accurate determination of cause and mechanism of death in such incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively analyze and correlate postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and forensic autopsy findings in deaths caused by falling trees or large branches.
  • To compare the efficacy of PMCT and autopsy in identifying intracranial, thoracoabdominal, skeletal, and asphyxial injuries.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of eight consecutive deaths involving impact or compression from falling trees/branches between 2012-2025.
  • Performance of thin-slice PMCT with various window settings, followed by complete forensic autopsy.
  • Integration of scene information, PMCT, and autopsy findings to determine the primary lethal mechanism.

Main Results:

  • Four lethal mechanisms identified: head/brainstem injury, hemorrhagic shock, traumatic shock with cardiac/aortic rupture, and asphyxia.
  • PMCT revealed complex fractures, hemothorax, hemoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, and suggested aortic injury.
  • Autopsy uniquely identified brainstem lesions, precise rupture sites, and subtle parenchymal injuries.

Conclusions:

  • PMCT is valuable for outlining general injury patterns and high-energy lesions in falling tree fatalities.
  • Full forensic autopsy remains indispensable for establishing the precise mechanism of death in these cases.