Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography
Background: As traditional autopsy rates decline, the importance of forensic imaging, particularly postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), grows for non-invasive cause of death determination and evidence collection in legal investigations, with unique considerations required for frozen corpses due to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfsm.jfsm_151_24 |
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| author | Sunao Li Wenju Jin Jiahui He Jun He Mingjie Qiu Wenjing Gao Long Fu Haibin Shen Zhiyuan Xia Xilian Ding |
| author_facet | Sunao Li Wenju Jin Jiahui He Jun He Mingjie Qiu Wenjing Gao Long Fu Haibin Shen Zhiyuan Xia Xilian Ding |
| author_sort | Sunao Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background:
As traditional autopsy rates decline, the importance of forensic imaging, particularly postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), grows for non-invasive cause of death determination and evidence collection in legal investigations, with unique considerations required for frozen corpses due to the lack of systematic imaging characteristic studies.
Aims and Objectives:
This study aims to fill the gap in current knowledge by systematically analyzing the PMCT imaging characteristics of frozen corpses.
Materials and Methods:
This study utilized postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) to examine tissue changes during the freezing and thawing process in a total of 61 corpses.
Results:
The results demonstrated that imaging changes in the brain were most pronounced during freezing and thawing, with a clear correlation to the duration of freezing/thawing and the position of the corpses. Typical ice crystal artifacts were observed in body fluids after freezing, while thawing led to a marked increase and redistribution of internal gas. Serial angiographic studies revealed “pseudo-brain hemorrhage” in the brainstem and cerebellum in several cases due to incomplete thawing and transport.
Conclusion:
This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the CT imaging characteristics of frozen corpses, elucidating the imaging features during the freezing and thawing processes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b42ae444555413882572b181657ea69 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2349-5014 2455-0094 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-5b42ae444555413882572b181657ea692025-01-11T10:18:32ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Forensic Science and Medicine2349-50142455-00942024-12-0110427428210.4103/jfsm.jfsm_151_24Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed TomographySunao LiWenju JinJiahui HeJun HeMingjie QiuWenjing GaoLong FuHaibin ShenZhiyuan XiaXilian DingBackground: As traditional autopsy rates decline, the importance of forensic imaging, particularly postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), grows for non-invasive cause of death determination and evidence collection in legal investigations, with unique considerations required for frozen corpses due to the lack of systematic imaging characteristic studies. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to fill the gap in current knowledge by systematically analyzing the PMCT imaging characteristics of frozen corpses. Materials and Methods: This study utilized postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) to examine tissue changes during the freezing and thawing process in a total of 61 corpses. Results: The results demonstrated that imaging changes in the brain were most pronounced during freezing and thawing, with a clear correlation to the duration of freezing/thawing and the position of the corpses. Typical ice crystal artifacts were observed in body fluids after freezing, while thawing led to a marked increase and redistribution of internal gas. Serial angiographic studies revealed “pseudo-brain hemorrhage” in the brainstem and cerebellum in several cases due to incomplete thawing and transport. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the CT imaging characteristics of frozen corpses, elucidating the imaging features during the freezing and thawing processes.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfsm.jfsm_151_24forensic pathologyfrozen corpsepostmortem computed tomographypostmortem computed tomography angiographypostmortem imagingthawed corpsevirtopsy |
| spellingShingle | Sunao Li Wenju Jin Jiahui He Jun He Mingjie Qiu Wenjing Gao Long Fu Haibin Shen Zhiyuan Xia Xilian Ding Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine forensic pathology frozen corpse postmortem computed tomography postmortem computed tomography angiography postmortem imaging thawed corpse virtopsy |
| title | Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography |
| title_full | Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography |
| title_fullStr | Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography |
| title_short | Imaging Characteristics of Frozen Corpses: An Analysis Based on Postmortem Computed Tomography |
| title_sort | imaging characteristics of frozen corpses an analysis based on postmortem computed tomography |
| topic | forensic pathology frozen corpse postmortem computed tomography postmortem computed tomography angiography postmortem imaging thawed corpse virtopsy |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfsm.jfsm_151_24 |
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