Postmortem whole-body computed tomography angiography visualizing vascular rupture in a case of fatal car crash.
In addition to the increasingly significant role of multislice computed tomography in forensic pathology, the performance of whole-body computed tomography angiography provides outstanding results. In this case, we were able to detect multiple injuries of the parenchymal organs in the upper abdomen as well as lesions of the brain parenchyma and vasculature of the neck. The radiologic findings showed complete concordance with the autopsy and even supplemented the autopsy findings in areas that are difficult to access via a manual dissection (such as the vasculature of the neck). This case shows how minimally invasive computed tomography angiography can serve as an invaluable adjunct to the classic autopsy procedure.
Flach
Patricia M
PM
Centre for Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. patricia.flach@irm.unibe.ch
Ross
Steffen G
SG
Bolliger
Stephan A
SA
Preiss
Ulrich S
US
Thali
Michael J
MJ
Spendlove
Danny
D
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D001336:Automobiles; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D020214:Cerebrovascular Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*