Virtopsy: postmortem imaging of laryngeal foreign bodies.
BACKGROUND
Death from corpora aliena in the larynx is a well-known entity in forensic pathology. The correct diagnosis of this cause of death is difficult without an autopsy, and misdiagnoses by external examination alone are common.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the postmortem usefulness of modern imaging techniques in the diagnosis of foreign bodies in the larynx, multislice computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and postmortem full-body computed tomography-angiography were performed.


METHODS
Three decedents with a suspected foreign body in the larynx underwent the 3 different imaging techniques before medicolegal autopsy.


RESULTS
Multislice computed tomography has a high diagnostic value in the noninvasive localization of a foreign body and abnormalities in the larynx. The differentiation between neoplasm or soft foreign bodies (eg, food) is possible, but difficult, by unenhanced multislice computed tomography. By magnetic resonance imaging, the discrimination of the soft tissue structures and soft foreign bodies is much easier. In addition to the postmortem multislice computed tomography, the combination with postmortem angiography will increase the diagnostic value.


CONCLUSIONS
Postmortem, cross-sectional imaging methods are highly valuable procedures for the noninvasive detection of corpora aliena in the larynx.
Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. lars.oesterhelweg@germed.berlin.de
Lars
L
Oesterhelweg
Stephan A
SA
Bolliger
Michael J
MJ
Thali
Steffen
S
Ross
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000473:pathology*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*