Lung weight estimation with postmortem CT in forensic cases.

Postmortem computed tomography (CT) is a minimally invasive technique to examine internal organs before a forensic autopsy. The purpose of our study was to estimate lung weight in a forensic setting in cases of various lung states, including fluid accumulation (congestion, edema, hypostasis, and inflammation etc.) using postmortem CT. From January 2016 to July 2018, 111 deceased bodies (62 males and 59 females, aged from 18 to 95 (average 59.6) years) were examined by CT before autopsy. Both lungs of the 111 deceased were analyzed separately, making it a total of 222 samples. We extracted lung fields from CT images manually after semi-automatic detection using an image workstation. The total lung volume and 6 categories of lung volume divided according to their CT density were measured. Multiple regression analysis was performed with lung weight in autopsy as the response variable, while the 6 categories were labelled as explanatory variables. The relation between lung weight in autopsy and lung weight estimated using postmortem CT showed a high Pearson's correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9106). Using postmortem CT, the lung weight can be estimated in forensic settings.

Estimating normal lung weight measurement using postmortem CT in forensic cases.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to estimate the lung weight using postmortem CT in well aerated lung autopsy cases. The correlation coefficients to the lung weight were also evaluated for the cadavers' height, weight, whole body surface area (WBSA), body mass index, and estimated lung volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2015 to July 2016, 31 cadavers (male 12, female 19, age 20-98 (mean 66.9) y.o., postmortem interval 0.3-75.0 (5.7) days) were compared as regards body weight, height, whole body surface area (WBSA), body mass index (BMI), lung volume on CT, and total lung volume classified into several CT number categories, with their lung weight in autopsy. RESULTS: The lung weight (mean ±â€¯SE) was 284.9 ±â€¯14.8 g in right lung and 249.3 ±â€¯12.9 g in left lung. The %ALV was 79.9 ±â€¯0.9 HU (mean ±â€¯standard error (SE)) in both lungs, 80.3 ±â€¯1.3 HU in right lung, and 77.6 ±â€¯2.0 HU in left lung. Using a simple linear regression test, there was no statistically significant correlation between the lung weight and the categories (R2: body height 0.234, weight 0.224, WBSA 0.309, BMI 0.046, lung volume 0.059). The volume for each individual CT density category showed no significant correlation, but the stepwise regression test yielded an excellent correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.840). CONCLUSION: The well aerated lung weight was 284.9 ±â€¯14.8 g in right lung and 249.3 ±â€¯12.9 g in left lung, and the postmortem CT could estimate the lung weight with high correlation coefficient.