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http://dx.doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2015.16.4.798

Common Postmortem Computed Tomography Findings Following Atraumatic Death: Differentiation between Normal Postmortem Changes and Pathologic Lesions  

Ishida, Masanori (Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Gonoi, Wataru (Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Okuma, Hidemi (Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Shirota, Go (Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Shintani, Yukako (Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Abe, Hiroyuki (Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Takazawa, Yutaka (Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Fukayama, Masashi (Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Ohtomo, Kuni (Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Radiology / v.16, no.4, 2015 , pp. 798-809 More about this Journal
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) is widely used in postmortem investigations as an adjunct to the traditional autopsy in forensic medicine. To date, several studies have described postmortem CT findings as being caused by normal postmortem changes. However, on interpretation, postmortem CT findings that are seemingly due to normal postmortem changes initially, may not have been mere postmortem artifacts. In this pictorial essay, we describe the common postmortem CT findings in cases of atraumatic in-hospital death and describe the diagnostic pitfalls of normal postmortem changes that can mimic real pathologic lesions.
Keywords
Autopsy imaging; Forensic radiology; Postmortem CT; Postmortem imaging;
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