Adipocere in postmortem imaging using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
A body was found in a local river almost completely converted into adipocere. The corpse was identified as a 78-year-old male who was missed for 13 months. It was assumed that he committed suicide by drowning. The postmortem imaging findings utilizing multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in this virtopsy case are presented with special focus on the radiologic appearance of adipocere. The loss of signal in MRI and hyperdensities in MSCT up to 1000 Hounsfield units, as well as the increased assessment of the intracranial structures compared with traditional autopsy, are presented.
Jackowski
Christian
C
Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. christian.jackowski@irm.unibe.ch
Thali
Michael
M
Sonnenschein
Martin
M
Aghayev
Emin
E
Yen
Kathrin
K
Dirnhofer
Richard
R
D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000473:pathology; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology