Aim:An accessory spleen is an additional tissue of the spleen that may be found near the spleen. It is a congenital anomaly of the spleen that its incidence has been reported 10-30% of the population. Hence, the objective of this study was evaluation the incidence of accessory spleen in Iranian cadavers.Method:Sixty hundred and ninety three spleens (541 males, 152 females) were excised from cadavers in the dissection hall of Mashhad Forensic Medicine Organization cadavers. Inclusion criteria were as follows: Fresh Iranian cadavers with no history of alcohol, poisoning or drug abuse, and no evidence of pathologic abnormality or injury to the spleen. The presence of accessory spleens, its dimension and weight investigated in cadavers.Results:During routine postmortem examination, five cases with an accessory spleen were found in the autopsy laboratory of Mashhad legal Medicine Organization between June 2014 and July 2015. Of the cases, 3 were male and 2 were female. The accessory spleens were observed at the splenic hilum. The length of the accessory spleens ranged from 2-3.5 cm, while the range of width was between 0.5 and 2.5 cm. The accessory spleens were confirmed by histological examination.Conclusion:An accessory spleen has clinical importance in some locations. When an accessory spleen is situated in another site, it may mimic some tumors such as pancreatic tumor and adrenal tumor. In addition, accessory spleen may cause hyperplasia after splenectomy and be responsible for a recurrence of the hematological disorders.

Introduction: The heart is in a muscular organ in the middle mediastinum. According to our knowledge, there is no standard data about the anthropologic parameters of normal Iranian hearts. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the normal heart size in Iranian cadavers. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 550 cadavers (104 female/446 male) from June 2014 to July 2015 in the Razavi Khorasan province of Iran were included in the study. After approval of the Ethical Committee, cadavers were divided into 10 groups based on age groups. Length, width, weight, chordae tendineae, papillary muscles, and heart valves were measured using vernier caliper. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The mean values of the demographic data were as follows: age= 42.12 ± 21.34 years; weight = 60.38 ± 15.32 kg; height = 158.14 ± 23.77 cm; and BMI = 24.66 ± 17.60 kg/m2. The mean values of the heart length, width, chordae tendineae, pupillary muscles, weight, and index of the heart were 11.41 ± 2.15 cm, 8.21 ± 4.38 cm, 19.41 ± 6.70, 5.74 ± 1.96, 247.78 ± 62.27 grams, and 5.74 ± 1.96, respectively. In addition, the circumference of the tricuspid valve, circumference of the mitral valves, and tricuspid and mitral areas were 8.80 ± 1.11 cm, 9.43 ± 1.44 cm, 4.11 ± 0.71 cm2, and 4.50 ± 0.90 cm2, respectively. Conclusion: Mean values of the heart’s length and width was similar to previous reports from western population. The circumference of the tricuspid valve was less than the textbook’s data, while circumference of the mitral valves was more than it. The study findings provide valuable information about standard data of the heart in the Iranian population, which is useful for surgeons as well as anthropologists. However, multi-center studies with a larger sample size are required to complete data about anatomical characteristics of normal hearts.

Having standard data on the vermiform appendix is useful for clinicians as well as anthropologists. The findings of the present study can provide information about morphologic variations of the appendix in Iranian population.

Anthropologic parameters of the spleen are important because many diseases present with reduction or enlargement of the spleen. No data exists about the standard dimensions of the normal spleen in Iranian population. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate anthropologic parameters of the spleen in Iranian cadavers. In 2014-2015, this cross sectional study was undertaken from the Razavi Khorasan Province of Iran. Iranian cadavers (n=693, 152 female/541 male) with no history of poisoning, drug or alcohol addiction, no gross abnormality and injury of the spleen were included in the study. The length, width and thickness of spleen were measured using a Vernier caliper. The mean values of the demographic data were age= 40.28 ± 20.97 years; weight = 63.68 ± 17.40 kg; height = 160.03 ± 28.45 cm and BMI = 25.03 ± 20.46 kg/m 2 . The mean values of the spleen length, width, thickness, notch, weight and index in the cadavers were 11.32 ± 3.10 cm, 8.05 ± 2.35 cm, 20.12 ± 9.21 mm, 0.84 ± 1.35, 123.87 ± 82.46 g, and 2.01 ± 1.40, respectively. Accessory spleen was found in five cadavers. The anthropologic parameters of the spleen showed significant difference between males and females except for index of the spleen. Having standard data on the spleen is useful for radiologists, surgeons, anatomists and anthropologists. The results of the study may provide valuable data in the standardization of the anthropologic parameters of the spleen in the Iranian population.

Background: Investigation of the maternal cause of death and pregnancy-related death is one of the most important responsibilities of a forensic pathologist. From the public health point of view, it may help to prevent losses during and following pregnancy and save the lives of women, especially in developing countries. Methods: We report a case of maternal death with a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 who presented asymptomatic and normotensive with normal laboratory test results. Results: The first attack after delivery was associated with pulmonary edema, which led to death. Investigation during the medico-legal autopsy discovered a left suprarenal tumor with the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, which was confirmed by further histopathology testing. Conclusion: We believe that although the association of neurofibromatosis type 1 and normotensive pheochromocytoma during pregnancy has been reported rarely, the possibility must be considered for evaluation before elective operations to adopt proper preoperative protocols.