Clinical radiology and postmortem imaging (Virtopsy) are not the same: Specific and unspecific postmortem signs

Legal Medicine
Andreas ChristeMichael J Thali

Abstract

The aim of this article is to disclose the characteristics of postmortem forensic imaging; give an overview of the several possible findings in postmortem imaging, which are uncommon or new to clinical radiologists; and discuss the possible pitfalls. Unspecific postmortem signs are enlisted and specific signs shall be presented, which are typical for one cause of death. Unspecific signs. Livor mortis may not only be seen from the outside, but also inside the body in the lungs: in chest CT internal livor mortis appear as ground glass opacity in the dependent lower lobes. The aortic wall is often hyperdense in postmortem CT due to wall contraction and loss of luminal pressure. Gas bubbles are very common postmortem due to systemic gas embolism after major open trauma, artificial respiration or initial decomposition; in particular putrefaction produces gas bubbles globally. Specific signs. Intracranial bleeding is hyperattenuating both in radiology and in postmortem imaging. Signs of strangulation are hemorrhage in the soft tissue of the neck like skin, subcutaneous tissue, platysma muscle and lymph nodes. The "vanishing" aorta is indicative for exsanguination. Fluid in the airways with mosaic lung densities and emphysema (aquosum...Continue Reading

References

Mar 1, 1994·Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism : Official Journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism·J MintorovitchP R Weinstein
Sep 1, 1993·Radiology·J KucharczykM E Moseley
Nov 4, 2000·Radiology·P W SchaeferR G Gonzalez
Jul 17, 2001·Heart·R Erbel
Aug 21, 2001·European Heart Journal·R ErbelUNKNOWN Task Force on Aortic Dissection, European Society of Cardiology
Aug 16, 2002·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Richard J WenstrupClaire A Francomano
Sep 6, 2005·Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI·Kathrin YenMartin Sonnenschein
Jan 9, 2007·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Kathrin YenRichard Dirnhofer
Feb 6, 2007·Legal Medicine·Michael J ThaliRichard Dirnhofer
Mar 6, 2007·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Kathrin YenRichard Dirnhofer
Sep 4, 2007·European Radiology·Andreas ChristePeter Vock
Jan 24, 2008·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·Silke GrabherrRichard Dirnhofer
Mar 19, 2008·Journal of Thoracic Imaging·Emin AghayevPeter Vock
Apr 24, 2008·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·Steffen RossErich Gygax
Sep 30, 2008·Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI·Javier AñonKathrin Yen
Mar 24, 2010·Legal Medicine·Thomas D RuderMichael J Thali

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 28, 2013·International Journal of Legal Medicine·C RobinsonG N Rutty
Jun 15, 2013·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Ayumi MotomuraHirotaro Iwase
Oct 12, 2013·Legal Medicine·Nicole BergerGaryfalia Ampanozi
Dec 25, 2013·Arthritis Research & Therapy·Frank A Wollheim
Mar 26, 2014·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·Patricia M FlachTanja Germerott
May 14, 2014·Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc·Steffen G RossPatricia M Flach
Jan 30, 2013·La Radiologia medica·M C AmbrosettiR Pozzi Mucelli
Jun 7, 2014·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Wolf-Dieter ZechLevent Kara
Oct 20, 2014·Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology·Wolf SchweitzerSebastian Winklhofer
Apr 12, 2014·Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology·Patricia M FlachGaryfalia Ampanozi
Nov 6, 2013·The British Journal of Radiology·T D RuderG M Hatch
Oct 20, 2011·Japanese Journal of Radiology·Naoya TakahashiYasuo Hirose
Feb 3, 2016·Legal Medicine·Miyu SugimotoSatoshi Watanabe
Dec 19, 2012·European Journal of Radiology·Yusuke KawasumiMasato Funayama
Nov 17, 2012·Journal of Comparative Pathology·R Munro, H M C Munro
Jun 23, 2012·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Florin T F GebhartTanja Germerott
Aug 19, 2015·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Hamid JalalzadehWietse P Zuidema
Feb 27, 2016·The British Journal of Radiology·Wendy NormanOwen J Arthurs
Apr 17, 2012·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Tomomi MichiueHitoshi Maeda
May 10, 2015·Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology·Ananya PandaBiplab Mishra
Mar 1, 2015·Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology·Garyfalia AmpanoziThomas D Ruder
Oct 14, 2011·European Journal of Radiology·Garyfalia AmpanoziLars C Ebert
Apr 2, 2015·Pediatric Radiology·Owen J ArthursNeil J Sebire
Apr 2, 2015·Pediatric Radiology·Willemijn M KleinRick R van Rijn
Dec 15, 2010·Injury·Olga R BrookAhuva Engel

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anemia

Anemia develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. Anemia of inflammation (AI, also called anemia of chronic disease) is a common, typically normocytic, normochromic anemia that is caused by an underlying inflammatory disease. Here is the latest research on anemia.

Blood Clotting Disorders

Thrombophilia includes conditions with increased tendency for excessive blood clotting. Blood clotting occurs when the body has insufficient amounts of specialized proteins that make blood clot and stop bleeding. Here is the latest research on blood clotting disorders.

Related Papers

Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc
Richard DirnhoferMichael J Thali
Forensic Science International : Synergy
Seiji ShiotaniYuji Itai
Forensic Science International : Synergy
Klaus Poulsen, Jørn Simonsen
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved