title: Virtopsy post-mortem multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrating descending tonsillar herniation: comparison to clinical studies.
abstract: Descending cerebellar tonsillar herniation is a serious and common complication of intracranial mass lesions. We documented three cases of fatal blunt head injury using post-mortem multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The results showed massive bone and soft-tissue injuries of the head and signs of high intracranial pressure with herniation of the cerebellar tonsils. The diagnosis of tonsillar herniation by post-mortem radiological examination was performed prior to autopsy. This paper describes the detailed retrospective evaluation of the position of the cerebellar tonsils in post-mortem imaging in comparison to clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, IRM-Buehlstrasse 20, 3012, Bern, Switzerland. emin.aghayev@irm.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aghayev
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonnenschein
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozdoba
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thali
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jackowski
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dirnhofer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006547:Hernia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*