Virtopsy: postmortem imaging of the human heart in situ using MSCT and MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging goes postmortem: noninvasive detection and assessment of myocardial infarction by postmortem MRI

“…A variety of natural causes of death were exemplarily published by predominantly forensic-radiological research groups. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] It should not be surprising for any physician that macromorphological findings such as major intracerebral bleedings, aortic dissections, pericardial tamponades, for the first time [14][15][16] . In clinical MR examinations only contrast enhanced sequences allow sufficient cardiac MR imaging.…”

Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults

“…[15][16][17] There is a wide range of normal post-mortem findings, including position-dependent sedimentation, post-mortem clotting and decomposition. 18,19 The appearance of these normal findings will vary from case to case and depends on internal and external factors, such as body temperature, pre-existing conditions, underlying disease or injury and the post-mortem interval.…”

“…22,23 This results in a distinctive fluid-fluid level on T 2 weighted PMMR images: cellular components of blood settle in the dependent areas of vascular structures or haemorrhagic collections as a dark hypointense layer, whereas the bright hyperintense fluid components are seen in a non-dependent position (Figure 2a). 6,19 This appearance may be disturbed by the presence of post-mortem clots, which often are of mixed to intermediate signal intensity on T 2 weighted images (Figure 2b). 5,19,23 Position-dependent sedimentation is also visible in the lungs 6,18,19 and can obscure or be confounded by the presence of underlying pulmonary pathology (Figure 2c).…”

Líneas guía en autopsias por sospecha de mala praxis asistencial

“…En comparación con la autopsia clásica, las técnicas de imagen ofrecen ciertas ventajas. Son mas rápidas y no destructivas, permiten usar más exposición que en el vivo y examinar órganos que in vivo tienen movimiento 40,41 . Así, resulta más rápida que la autopsia y no destructiva, adquiere el volumen corporal completo, permite aná-lisis interactivos, permite contrapruebas múltiples, permite "retestings" cuantas veces sea preciso.…”