title: Adipocere in postmortem imaging using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. christian.jackowski@irm.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jackowski
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thali
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonnenschein
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aghayev
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dirnhofer
mesh_terms: 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