Implications of intracochlear decomposition gas formation in non-putrefied cadavers.

Introduction: Postmortem computed tomography (pmCT) prior to forensic autopsy has become increasingly important in recent decades, especially in forensic documentation of single injuries, injury patterns, and causes of death. Postmortem decomposition gas formation can also be detected in pmCT scans, which might affect cochlear implant research in postmortem human temporal bones (TBs). Material and methods: Fifty non-putrefied hanging fatalities within a 2-year period (January 2017 to December 2019) were included with 100 TBs. Each body underwent whole-body pmCT prior to forensic autopsy. PmCT scans were analyzed with respect to the presence of intracochlear gas despite the lack of putrefaction at autopsy by an experienced fellow neurotologist. Results: PmCT revealed gas formation in two individuals despite the lack of head trauma and putrefaction at postmortem examination and autopsy. Both individuals showed enclosed gas in the vestibule and the cochlea on both sides. Discussion: Intracochlear gas formation, most likely related to decomposition, may occur despite the lack of putrefaction at postmortem examination and autopsy and can be detected by pmCT. This finding seems to be rather rare in non-traumatic death cases but might affect cochlear pressure research in postmortem human TB.

Selective postmortem arterial angiography of head and neck using digital x-ray or computed tomography: A practical and rapid method to identify vascular injuries.

Identification of vascular injuries is crucial for complete postmortem evaluation and understanding of trauma deaths by the Medical Examiner. Some vascular injuries are difficult to evaluate due to challenging anatomic locations, especially in the head and neck. Documenting injuries of the facial and vertebral arteries is challenging and necessitates time-consuming dissections that can create artifacts and disfigurement. In busy medical examiner offices with a significant number of traumatic injuries, finding a creative solution to employ reliable postmortem angiography is desirable. At the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland (OCME), we created and effectively implemented a selective angiography procedure using traditional indwelling Foley catheters and water-soluble barium swallow contrast to evaluate arterial injuries using either digital radiography or computed tomography imaging modalities. This technique and imaging interpretation can be performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathology fellow after basic technical training and basic radiology training. This study outlines the technique, methods, and utilization of the procedure and describes the findings of six deaths due to vascular lesions from different injury mechanisms and disease processes and describes the ease of implementation on a broader scale in busy Medical Examiner's offices.

Postmortem contrast-enhanced computed tomography via direct large-vessel puncture.

The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of postmortem contrast-enhanced CT (PMeCT) performed via direct large-vessel puncture when routine postmortem CT suggests a vascular lesion as the cause of death. PMeCT was performed in 9 cases (4 male, 5 female) with a mean age of 76 years (range 52-92) at the time of death. The mean time elapsed since death was 29.1 h (12.0-72.0). The location of the target vessel for puncture was determined based on the CT table position and a grid placed on the body surface. An 18-G spinal needle was advanced to the puncture site, and the needle tip was confirmed to have reached the intended blood vessel. Using negative pressure with a 20-ml syringe, the needle tip was advanced until reverse bleeding was confirmed. Diluted contrast medium was injected slowly to ensure its dispersion within the blood vessels. Following confirmation of no extravasation, additional doses of diluted contrast agent were injected in 3-4 divided doses, with CT scans obtained at each step to track the distribution of contrast agent over time. PMeCT was successful in all cases, revealing cardiac tamponade in 7 (ascending aortic dissection, n = 6; cardiac rupture, n = 1), thoracic aortic aneurysm rupture, n = 1, and iliac artery aneurysm rupture, n = 1. There were no cases of procedure-related extravasation (pseudo-lesions). When postmortem CT reveals pericardial hematoma or bleeding in the thoracic or abdominal cavity, PMeCT can identify the source of bleeding.

Development of a protocol for standardized use of a water-soluble contrast agent with polyethylene glycol in post-mortem CT angiography.

Computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) is increasingly used in postmortem cases. Standardized validated protocols permit to compare different PMCTA images and make it more easily to defend a case in court. In addition to the well-known technique by Grabherr et al. (2011) which is using paraffin oil as a carrier substance, water-soluble polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG200) can be used in combination with the contrast agent Accupaque® 300. As to date, there exists no standardized protocol for the use of this contrast agent mixture, the aim of this study was to develop a protocol using it. Between 2012 and 2022, 23 PMCTA with PEG200 and Accupaque®300 were performed at the University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne (Switzerland) and the Institute of Forensic Medicine Munich (Germany). The images obtained were evaluated regarding the opacification of the vessels and possible artefacts. The best image quality was obtained with a mixing ratio of 1:15 (Accupaque®300:PEG200) and a perfusion volume of 1000 ml in the arterial, 1400 ml in the venous and 350 ml in the dynamic phase. The infusion rates described by Grabherr et al. were confirmed for the three phases. Overall, the opacification of the vessels was diagnostically sufficient. In 13 cases no opacification of the right coronary artery was observed due to a stratification artefact. By using the PMCTA protocol with PEG200 as a carrier, a good overall image quality can be achieved. This protocol offers the possibility to standardize PMCTA with PEG200.

Realistic three-dimensional imaging of injuries in forensic medicine - Survey-based method comparison of CRT and VRT.

OBJECTIVE: A comparison between Cinematic Rendering Technique (CRT) and Volume Rendering Technique (VRT) in cases with postmortem CT-angiography (PMCTA) was carried out. METHODS: For different injuries seen in PMCTA, a VRT and a CRT image of exactly the same pathological section was generated. Two questionnaires were created, one with CRT and one with VRT reconstructions, with the same questions per 3D-image. The questionnaires were sent to forensic pathologists, lawyers and police officers. In total eleven different injuries had to be analyzed. RESULTS: In total 109 questionnaires were answered fully. Of these returnees, 36 stated that they were forensic pathologists. Seventy-three people were assigned to the group of medical laypersons, in the study this group consists mainly of police officers, judges and lawyers. Between the two software programs CRT and VRT that were compared, no significant difference could be identified in any of the participating groups with regard to the assessment of the life-threatening nature of the injury images shown. When asked about the comprehensibility of pathology, there was a significant difference in favour of CRT. This advantage was apparent to named medical laypersons and to forensic pathologists. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a positive trend that CRT may be more understandable than VRT. Not only the medical laypersons, but also the forensic physicians found CRT to be beneficial.

CT analysis of skull contents in naturally mummified human corpses, a multicentric study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess skull contents, brain appearance, and density on postmortem computed tomography in naturally mummified corpses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For this purpose, a retrospective multicentric study, including mummified corpses from two French centers (Brest and Nantes) and from the New Mexico Decedent Image Database (USA), was performed by analyzing postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) focused on the head and neck of partially or fully mummified corpses discovered between 2011 and 2022. The PMCT analysis provided data on the CT appearance of brains, allowing them to be classified into four different categories (desiccation, liquefaction, dura mater only (DMO), and absence), and to measure densities (HU) of the brain remains. In addition, data on postmortem intervals (PMI) from Nantes and Brest centers were collected and analyzed to test the link between brain densities and PMIs. RESULTS: 54 cases of naturally mummified corpses were included. The brains were classified as liquefied (56%), desiccated (17 %), DMO (20 %), and absent (7 %) based on their CT appearance. Dehydrated brains were significantly (p < 0.004) denser (median 102 HU, interquartile range (IQR) 41) than either liquefied brains (median 39.5 HU, IQR 9) or brains with DMO (median -25 HU, IQR 57). However, the density of brain remains was not significantly affected by where the bodies were found (p = 0,41). Analysis of PMI and brain densities was performed on 22 cases. The results showed that brain remains were significantly (p = 0.039) denser when they were found after a PMI of more than six months. CONCLUSION: Brain desiccation was the aspect with the highest densities on PMCT, and for which we were able to highlight great preservation of anatomical structures observable in living organisms.

Performance of postmortem CT in the diagnosis of natural death from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

PURPOSE: Postmortem CT (PMCT) is used widely to identify the cause of death. However, its diagnostic performance in cases of natural death from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may be unsatisfactory because the cause tends to be cardiogenic and cannot be detected on PMCT images. We retrospectively investigated the diagnostic performance of PMCT in the diagnosis of natural death from OHCA and compared it to that of unnatural death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our series included 450 cases; 336 were natural- and 114 were unnatural death cases. Between 2018 and 2022 all underwent non-contrast PMCT to identify the cause of death. Two radiologists reviewed the PMCT images and categorized them as diagnostic (PMCT alone sufficient to determine the cause of death), suggestive (the cause of death was suggested but additional information was needed), and non-diagnostic (the cause of death could not be determined on PMCT images). The diagnostic performance of PMCT was defined by the percentage of diagnosable and suggestive cases and compared between natural- and unnatural death cases. Interobserver agreement for the cause of death on PMCT images was also assessed with the Cohen kappa coefficient of concordance. RESULTS: The diagnostic performance of PMCT for the cause of natural- and unnatural deaths from OHCA was 30.3% and 66.6%, respectively (p < 0.01). The interobserver agreement for the cause of natural- and unnatural deaths on PMCT images was very good with kappa value 0.92 and 0.96, respectively. CONCLUSION: As PMCT identified the cause of natural death by OHCA in only 30% of cases, its diagnostic performance must be improved.

Estimation of missing mandible from the skull using postmortem CT images.

Skeletal remains often have missing mandibles owing to the environment in which the corpse was placed or damage caused by an animal. Loss of the mandible reduces the accuracy of skull identification. Although several studies have validated methods for estimating mandibular morphology from conventional anthropological measurements using skull specimens, there are no reports using three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) images. Here, we examined methods for establishing the mandibular morphology from the remaining skulls using postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) images. We used PMCT images from 200 Japanese subjects as samples. After verifying the morphological correlation between the cranium and mandible, we created and validated estimation models using multiple regression analysis (stepwise method) for seven sites that were necessary for understanding the morphology of the mandible. Among the regression models, the estimated model for bicondylar breadth had the highest coefficient of determination (adjR2 = 0.53). We verified the accuracy of the model on a sample independent from the specimen used to create the estimation model and found that the formulated model of bicondylar breadth had good estimation accuracy, with a high correlation coefficient between the measured and predicted values of 0.82 and a mean absolute error of 3.582 mm, indicating that the model had good estimation accuracy. Here, we established a novel method for estimating the missing mandibular morphology based on PMCT data from the Japanese population. Our estimation model can help determine the missing mandibular morphology in a cranium remnant.

Comment on: "Bone marrow embolism: should it result from traumatic bone lesions? a histopathological human autopsy study".

Farid et al., described how 8 of 11 cases of Bone Marrow Embolism were found to be non-traumatic. In our research group we found several shortcomings in the methodology, and within our own Institute we could not replicate the results.

A clear presentation of intracranial hypostasis on PMCT.

Intracranial hypostasis is a common postmortem change evident on postmortem CT (PMCT), but can be readily misinterpreted as subdural hematoma by inexperienced physicians. Although PMCT is necessarily lacking contrast enhancement, we reconstructed hypostatic sinuses into three-dimensional images resembling the results of in vivo venography. This simple methodology facilitates easy recognition of intracranial hypostasis.

Comparison of CT Values between Thrombus and Postmortem Clot Based on Cadaveric Pulmonary Angiography.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the difference in CT values between pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to further improve the application value of virtual autopsy. METHODS: Postmortem CTPA data with the definite cause of death from 2016 to 2019 were collected and divided into pulmonary thromboembolism group (n=4), postmortem clot group (n=5), and control group (n=5). CT values of pulmonary trunk and left and right pulmonary artery contents in each group were measured and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The average CT value in the pulmonary thromboembolism group and postmortem clot group were (168.4±53.8) Hu and (282.7±78.0) Hu, respectively, which were lower than those of the control group (1 193.0±82.9) Hu (P<0.05). The average CT value of the postmortem clot group was higher than that of the pulmonary thromboembolism group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CT value is reliable and feasible as a relatively objective quantitative index to distinguish pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CTPA. At the same time, it can provide a scientific basis to a certain extent for ruling out pulmonary thromboembolism deaths.

Estimating age at death by Hausdorff distance analyses of the fourth lumbar vertebral bodies using 3D postmortem CT images.

The existing methods for determining adult age from human skeletons are mostly qualitative. However, a shift in quantifying age-related skeletal morphology on a quantitative scale is emerging. This study describes an intuitive variable extraction technique and quantifies skeletal morphology in continuous data to understand their aging pattern. A total of 200 postmortem CT images from the deceased aged 25-99 years (130 males, 70 females) who underwent forensic death investigations were used in the study. The 3D volume of the fourth lumbar vertebral body was segmented, smoothed, and post-processed using the open-source software ITK-SNAP and MeshLab, respectively. To measure the extent of 3D shape deformity due to aging, the Hausdorff distance (HD) analysis was performed. In our context, the maximum Hausdorff distance (maxHD) was chosen as a metric, which was subsequently studied for its correlation with age at death. A strong statistically significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) between maxHD and age at death was observed in both sexes (Spearman's rho = 0.742, male; Spearman's rho = 0.729, female). In simple linear regression analyses, the regression equations obtained yielded the standard error of estimates of 12.5 years and 13.1 years for males and females, respectively. Our study demonstrated that age-related vertebral morphology could be described using the HD method. Moreover, it encourages further studies with larger sample sizes and on other population backgrounds to validate the methodology.

Postmortem kinetic CT of the cervical spine and an objective index for diagnosing anterior disc space widening: A retrospective utility analysis.

Postmortem CT has limitations in identifying cervical spine injuries. Injuries at the level of the intervertebral disc (anterior disc space widening), such as rupture of the anterior longitudinal ligament or intervertebral disc, may be difficult to distinguish from normal images depending on the imaging position. We performed postmortem kinetic CT of the cervical spine in the extended position in addition to CT in the neutral position. The difference in intervertebral angles between the neutral and extended positions was defined as the intervertebral range of motion (ROM), and the utility of postmortem kinetic CT of the cervical spine for the diagnosis of anterior disc space widening and its objective index were examined based on the intervertebral ROM. Of 120 cases, 14 had anterior disc space widening: 11 had one lesion and 3 had two lesions. The intervertebral ROM for the 17 lesions was 11.85° ± 5.25° and that for the normal vertebrae was 3.78° ± 2.81°, with a significant difference between the two. ROC analysis of the intervertebral ROM between vertebrae with anterior disc space widening and the normal vertebral spaces showed an AUC of 0.903 (95 % confidence interval 0.803-1) and a cutoff value of 8.61° (sensitivity 0.96, specificity 0.82). Postmortem kinetic CT of the cervical spine revealed that the intervertebral ROM of the anterior disc space widening was increased, which facilitated identification of the injury. An intervertebral ROM that exceeds 8.61° facilitates a diagnosis of anterior disc space widening.

A novel method to estimate adult age from the lumbar vertebral body using 3D PMCT images in Japanese.

This study evaluated the age-related changes in the vertebral body using 3D Postmortem CT (PMCT) images and proposed an alternative age estimation formula. The PMCT images of 200 deceased individuals aged 25 to 99 years (126 males, 74 females) were retrospectively reviewed and included in the study. Using the open-source software ITK-SNAP and MeshLab, a 3D surface mesh of the fourth lumbar vertebral body (L4) and its convex hull models were created from the PMCT data. Using their inbuilt tools, volumes (in mm3) of the L4 surface mesh and convex hull models were subsequently computed. We derived VD, defined as the difference in volumes between the convex hull and L4 surface mesh normalized by L4 mesh volume, and VR, defined as the ratio of L4 mesh volume to convex hull volume based on individual L4. Correlation and regression analyses were performed between VD, VR, and chronological age. A statistically significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) between chronological age and VD, (rs = 0.764, males; rs = 0.725, females), and a significant negative correlation between chronological age and VR (rs = -0.764, males; rs = -0.725, females) was obtained in both sexes. The lowest standard error of the estimate was demonstrated by the VR at 11.9 years and 12.5 years for males and females, respectively. As such, their regression models to estimate adult age were Age = 248.9-2.5VR years, males; Age = 258.1-2.5VR years, females. These regression equations may be useful for estimating age in Japanese adults in forensic settings.

Application of postmortem MRI for identification of medulla oblongata contusion as a cause of death: a case report.

Whiplash injury is common in traffic accidents, and severe whiplash is characterized by cervical spinal cord injuries with cervical dislocation or fracture, that can be diagnosed by postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), postmortem magnetic resonance (PMMR), or conventional autopsy. However, for cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation, PMMR can be more informative because it provides higher resolution of soft tissues. We report the case of a 29-year-old male who died immediately following a traffic accident, in which the vehicle hit an obstacle at a high speed, causing deformation of the bumper and severe damage of the vehicle body. PMCT indicated no significant injuries or diseases related to death, but PMMR showed patchy abnormal signals in the medulla oblongata, and the lower edge of the cerebellar tonsil was herniated out of the foramen magnum. The subsequent pathological and histological results confirmed that death was caused by medulla oblongata contusion combined with cerebellar tonsillar herniation. Our description of this case of a rare but fatal whiplash injury in which there was no fracture or dislocation provides a better understanding of the potentially fatal consequences of cervical spinal cord whiplash injury without fracture or dislocation and of the underlying lethal mechanisms. Compared with PMCT, PMMR provides important diagnostic information in forensic practice for the identification of soft tissue injuries, and is therefore an important imaging modality for diagnosis of whiplash injury when there is no fracture or dislocation.

Comparison of CT Values between Thrombus and Postmortem Clot Based on Cadaveric Pulmonary Angiography / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To explore the difference in CT values between pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to further improve the application value of virtual autopsy.@*METHODS@#Postmortem CTPA data with the definite cause of death from 2016 to 2019 were collected and divided into pulmonary thromboembolism group (n=4), postmortem clot group (n=5), and control group (n=5). CT values of pulmonary trunk and left and right pulmonary artery contents in each group were measured and analyzed statistically.@*RESULTS@#The average CT value in the pulmonary thromboembolism group and postmortem clot group were (168.4±53.8) Hu and (282.7±78.0) Hu, respectively, which were lower than those of the control group (1 193.0±82.9) Hu (P<0.05). The average CT value of the postmortem clot group was higher than that of the pulmonary thromboembolism group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CT value is reliable and feasible as a relatively objective quantitative index to distinguish pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CTPA. At the same time, it can provide a scientific basis to a certain extent for ruling out pulmonary thromboembolism deaths.

The Role and Place of Thanatoradiological Studies in the Pathological Examination of Fetuses and Newborns.

Analysis of published data on the possibilities of using postmortem radiation studies in perinatology is carried out and the results of own thanatoradiological studies of the bodies of dead fetuses and newborns are presented. The possibilities of postmortem radiation studies for differential diagnosis of stillborn and deceased newborns, evaluation of the severity of maceration and the time of intrauterine fetal death, detection of pathological changes in the brain and spinal cord, respiratory and digestive organs, in the cardiovascular and urinary systems were demonstrated. It is concluded that postmortem CT has a high diagnostic efficiency in the study of the bone skeleton, free fluid accumulations in serous cavities and gas in the vessels and tissues of dead fetuses and deceased newborns. The advantage of postmortem MRI is more effective visualization of internal organs and soft tissues, which allows assessing their topography and size, as well as identifying a wide range of pathological changes. For a comprehensive objective analysis of the bodies of stillborn and deceased newborns, combined use of both imaging methods (CT and MRI) is required. At the same time, thanatoradiology should be used as a part of a comprehensive pathological study, but not as a substitute for traditional autopsy.

Postmortem CT in decedents with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A single institution experience.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 produced a global pandemic with significant mortality. As autopsies are not routinely performed on all decedents with SARS-CoV-2 infection, postmortem CT (PMCT) may be valuable to provide additional information on the cause of death and risk factors known to be associated with an increased mortality in COVID-19. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the PMCT findings in a series of 42 decedents with SARS-CoV-2 infection from our institution. Retrospective analysis of 42 decedents who had a positive postmortem nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and had a PMCT were included in this study. Images were reviewed for pulmonary findings seen in COVID-19 and other organ involvement. Of the 42 decedents, although the majority had imaging findings in the lungs that would be consistent with COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome, in 14% of the decedents the SARS-CoV-2 infection was likely coincidental and the PMCT findings suggested that they died from other pathology. Over half of the decedents that died from COVID-19 had PMCT findings of vascular disease. PMCT is useful to identify pulmonary and extra pulmonary findings in decedents with SARS-CoV-2 infection that can provide additional information, which may be useful for the forensic pathologist to help determine the underlying cause of death. Supplemental data for this article are available online at.

A case of fatal fulminant fat embolism syndrome following multiple fractures resulting from a fall.

Fat embolism syndrome is a life-threatening condition in which fatty substances enter the circulation and cause respiratory distress and neurological symptoms. It can occur following trauma and severe fat embolism occurring soon after trauma is known as fulminant fat embolism syndrome. Although fat staining of the lungs is helpful for diagnosing fat embolism syndrome at autopsy, clinical and other information is needed to determine the relationship between cause of death and the syndrome. In this report, we describe the macroscopic, microscopic, and computed tomography (CT) findings specific for fat embolism that were observed in a patient with fulminant fat embolism syndrome who died soon after the injury. An 85-year-old woman fell from a bath stretcher during assisted bathing and died 3 h later. Autopsy revealed fractures of the left femoral neck and other bones, as well as large amounts of fat-like material in the right and left pulmonary arteries. Histological examination of the lung with Oil red O staining showed extensive fat vacuoles. Based on these findings and postmortem CT images of the fractures and fatty globules in the pulmonary arteries detected prior to death, the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, with fat embolism syndrome playing a significant role. This case is an example of fulminant fat embolism, which can be fatal in a short period of time, and demonstrates that CT performed postmortem but before autopsy can be useful in detecting fat embolism syndrome due to trauma.