title: Computed tomography as routine in connection with medico-legal autopsies.
abstract: CT-scanning as routine examination before medico-legal autopsy was introduced at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2002. The present series comprises of 525 medico-legal examinations performed in the year 2003. The purpose is to determine the value of CT-scanning prior to the post-mortem examination. All findings, CT- as well as patho-anatomic findings - more than 4000 - were registered in a database. To increase the clearness, the findings are divided in accordance to regions such as head, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, extremities and vessels and the CT-findings are compared to the patho-anatomic findings, with the purpose to estimate the advantages and disadvantages with the two types of examination. The preliminary results show, that the CT-scanner is superior when it comes to detection of extremity fractures. The scanner has ability in detecting hemorrhages and hematomas, especially, intracranial.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V's Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark. klausp@forensic.ku.dk
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: Jørn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simonsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005121:Extremities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging