The common pattern of postmortem changes on whole body CT scans
Autor: | Willemijn M. Klein, Desiree H. J. L. M. Koopmanschap, T. Kunz, Alireza R. Bayat, K. Hermans |
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Rok vydání: | 2016 |
Předmět: |
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty Supine position Lung business.industry Radiodensity 010401 analytical chemistry 01 natural sciences Postmortem Changes 0104 chemical sciences Pathology and Forensic Medicine 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Cerebrospinal fluid medicine.anatomical_structure Hounsfield scale medicine Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging 030216 legal & forensic medicine business Nuclear medicine Pathological Cause of death |
Zdroj: | Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging. 4:47-52 |
ISSN: | 2212-4780 |
Popis: | The postmortem changes on postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) seem to have a regular pattern over time. Studying these changes could lead to a better understanding of postmortem physiology and to differentiate between normal and pathological aspects. We studied the patterns and aspects of the postmortem changes and made correlations to the postmortem interval (PMI). Five deceased bodies (4M, 1F; mean age 79 years; 2 cancer, 3 unknown cause of death) that were donated to science underwent total body PMCT scanning every hour, starting 6–10 h and up to 36 h after death. The bodies stayed on the scanner table during the whole scanning period, in supine position without moving. We measured Hounsfield units (HU) of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), vitreous humor (VH) and lungs. Volumes of lung, liver and bowel were calculated with semi-automated software. We made correlations to the PMI. We made timelapse movies to visualize the postmortem changes. We found increasing radiodensities of VH and CSF in correlation to the PMI. Pulmonary radiodensity and volume could show both increase or decrease over time. Liver volume decreased and bowel volume increased over time. The timelapse movies visualized these normal postmortem processes in the body. We conclude that postmortem changes on PMCT show partly a regular and partly diverging pattern between patients. The increasing radiodensity of CSF is correlated to PMI and might be helpful in estimating the time of death, however further study is needed. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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