Evaluation of computed tomography as a screening test for death inquest.
The Japanese method of inquest, which depends mostly on external examinations, may misdiagnose a considerable number of accidental deaths and suicides as death by disease. We conducted computed tomography (CT) scans of 80 cases for which police concluded death by disease or natural causes based on police investigations into the circumstances and results from external examinations. The cause of death was clearly determined by CT scan in 17 of 80 cases. Ten cases underwent autopsy after the police suspected criminality based on results of the CT examinations. The results suggest CT scan may be a tool for preventing a number of overlooked crimes and accidents in Japan. However, it cannot be a perfect tool for discerning between death by disease and other causes of death without cooperation from the investigative agencies and subsequent forensic examinations such as autopsy and toxicological tests.
Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Japan. iwase@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Hirotaro
H
Iwase
Daisuke
D
Yajima
Mutsumi
M
Hayakawa
Seiji
S
Yamamoto
Hisako
H
Motani
Ayaka
A
Sakuma
Shiori
S
Kasahara
Hisao
H
Ito
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016495:Police; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult