Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Virtual autopsy using multislice computed tomography in forensic medical diagnosis of drowning

Autopsia virtuale mediante tomografia computerizzata multistrato nella diagnosi medico-forense di annegamento

  • Ethics and Forensic Radiology / Etica e Radiologia Forense
  • Published:
La radiologia medica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the usefulness of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the postmortem diagnosis of death by drowning in fresh water by measuring the difference of blood density within the cardiac chambers.

Materials and methods

Twenty-two corpses including six cases of fresh-water drowning (group A) and 16 deaths by other causes (group B), among which were also different forms of mechanical asphyxia other than drowning, underwent MDCT and conventional autopsy. Blood density within the right and left heart chambers, the aorta and the pulmonary trunk was measured and values compared between groups and within each group between heart chambers.

Results

Blood density in all cardiac chambers was lower in group A than in group B. The difference was statistically significant within the left atrium and ventricle and was significantly lower in the left than in the right heart chambers in group A only.

Conclusions

MDCT, together with conventional autopsy, may contribute to the diagnosis of drowning, by measuring blood density in the heart chambers.

Riassunto

Obiettivo

Valutare se l’impiego della tomografia computerizzata multistrato (TCMS) possa essere d’aiuto nella diagnosi di morte per annegamento in acqua dolce tramite misura della differenza di concentrazione ematica all’interno delle camere cardiache.

Materiali e metodi

Sono stati sottoposti a TCMS ed esame autoptico convenzionale 22 cadaveri, di cui 6 morti per annegamento in acqua dolce (gruppo A) e 16 per altre cause (gruppo B), tra le quali erano presenti anche asfissie meccaniche diverse dall’annegamento. è stata misurata la densità del sangue all’interno delle camere cardiache di destra e sinistra, dell’aorta e del tronco polmonare e confrontati i valori tra i due gruppi e all’interno di ogni gruppo tra le camere cardiache.

Risultati

La densità ematica all’interno di tutte le camere cardiache è risultata inferiore nel gruppo A rispetto al gruppo B. La differenza è risultata statisticamente significativa all’interno di atrio e ventricolo di sinistra. La densità ematica è risultata significativamente inferiore nelle camere cardiache di sinistra rispetto quelle di destra solo nel gruppo A.

Conclusioni

La TCMS può essere impiegata per la misura della densità ematica nelle camere cardiache per la diagnosi di morte da annegamento in acqua dolce in ausilio all’esame autoptico convenzionale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References/Bibliografia

  1. Bolliger SA, Thali MJ, Ross S et al (2008) Virtual autopsy using imaging: bridging radiologic and forensic sciences. A review of the Virtopsy and similar projects. Eur Radiol 18:273–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Dirnhofer R, Jackowski C, Vock P et al (2006) VIRTOPSY: minimally invasive, imaging-guided virtual autopsy. Radiographics 26:1305–1333

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Christe A, Flach P, Ross S et al (2010) Clinical radiology and postmortem imaging (Virtopsy) are not the same: specific and unspecific postmortem signs. Leg Med (Tokyo) 12:215–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Pomara C, Fineschi V, Scalzo G et al (2009) Virtopsy versus digital autopsy: virtuous autopsy. Radiol Med 114:1367–1382

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Thali MJ, Yen K, Schweitzer W et al (2003) Virtopsy, a new imaging horizon in forensic pathology: virtual autopsy by postmortem multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — a feasibility study. J Forensic Sci 48:386–403

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Thali MJ, Braun M, Buck U et al (2005) VIRTOPSY-scientific documentation, reconstruction and animation in forensic: individual and real 3D data based geometric approach including optical body/object surface and radiological CT/MRI scanning. J Forensic Sci 50:428–442

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Piette MH, De Letter EA (2006) Drowning: still a difficult autopsy diagnosis. Forensic Sci Int 163:1–9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Modell JH (1993) Drowning. N Engl J Med 328:253–256

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Giammona ST, Modell JH (1967) Drowning by total immersion. Effects on pulmonary surfactant of distilled water, isotonic saline, and sea water. Am J Dis Child 114:612–616

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Saukko P, Knigh B (2004) Knight’s forensic pathology, 3rd edn. Arnold, pp 395–411

  11. Payne-James J, Busuttil A, Smock W (2003) Forensic medicine — clinical and pathological aspects. GMM 249–257

  12. de Boer J, Biewenga TJ, Kuipers HA et al (1970) The effects of aspirated and swallowed water in drowning: Sea water and fresh-water experiments on rats and dogs. Anesthesiology 32:51–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lunetta P (2005) Bodies found in water — epidemiological and medico-legal issues. Yliopistopaino, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pollanen MS (1998) Forensic diatomology and drowning. Elsevier

  15. Levy AD, Harcke HT, Getz JM et al (2007) Virtual autopsy: two- and three-dimensional multidetector CT findings in drowning with autopsy comparison Radiology 243:862–868

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Christe A, Aghayev E, Jackowski C et al (2008) Drowning — postmortem imaging findings by computed tomography. Eur Radiol 18:283–290

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Jeanmonod R, Staub CH, Mermillod B (1992) The reliability of cardiac haemodilution as a diagnostic test of drowning. Forensic Sci Int 52:171–180

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Radiologia, Università di Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy

    M. C. Ambrosetti, C. Barbiani, G. El-Dalati & R. Pozzi Mucelli

  2. Sezione di Medicina Legale-DSPMC, Università di Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy

    E. Pellini, D. Raniero & A. De Salvia

Authors
  1. M. C. Ambrosetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Barbiani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. El-Dalati
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Pellini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. Raniero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. De Salvia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. Pozzi Mucelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. C. Ambrosetti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ambrosetti, M.C., Barbiani, C., El-Dalati, G. et al. Virtual autopsy using multislice computed tomography in forensic medical diagnosis of drowning. Radiol med 118, 679–687 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-012-0910-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-012-0910-y

Keywords

Parole chiave

Search

Navigation