Death in custody and undiagnosed central neurocytoma.
Fatal brain tumors are often diagnosed well before death. Rarely, they present as sudden and unexpected death. Most of these undiagnosed brain tumors are gliomas. Death in custody is uncommon and can be caused by natural diseases. These are mainly associated with the cardiovascular system and rarely by cancers such as primary intracranial tumors.We present a case of a 55-year-old man who died while in police custody. At the autopsy there was a previously undiagnosed large soft intraventricular tumor. Cerebrospinal fluid flow was obstructed causing a raised intracranial pressure which resulted in displacement of the pons, and death. Microscopy and immunohistochemistry confirmed a central neurocytoma.
Gill
Jespal
J
Department of Forensic Pathology, Labplus, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Koelmeyer
Timothy D
TD
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000473:pathology; D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000473:pathology; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D018306:Neurocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016495:Police; D011329:Prisoners