title: Interpretation of COHb concentrations in the left and right heart blood of cadavers.
abstract: Carbon monoxide hemoglobin (COHb) concentrations in left and right heart blood samples from cadavers both exposed and not exposed to fire or CO gas were analyzed by the gas chromatographic method. The COHb concentration ratio between samples of left and right heart blood (L/R ratio) does not appear to be useful for establishing whether death has occurred before or after exposure to fire with the exception of cases where no soot can be detected in the airways by the naked eye and the COHb concentration in the blood sample is within the level considered normal for tobacco smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yashiki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chikasue
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006321:Heart; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin