The effect on toxicology, biochemistry and immunology investigations by the use of targeted post-mortem computed tomography angiography.
It is recognised in autopsy practice that investigations such as toxicology can be affected by post-mortem change. Post-mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCT-A) involves the injection of contrast agents. This could cause dilution of a biological fluid sample or cause the circulation of blood after death by mechanical pumping, and thus has the potential to affect laboratory investigations. We undertook a small sample study to consider whether targeted PMCT-A had any significant effect on subsequent samples taken for biochemical, toxicological or immunological investigations. Although the results of our study do illustrate differences between the pre and post PMCT-A results, these differences are considered not to be of diagnostic significance and not due to the direct effect of targeted PMCT-A.
East Midlands Forensic Pathology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. gnr3@le.ac.uk
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Rutty
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Smith
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Visser
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Barber
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Amorosa
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Morgan
D019840:2-Propanol / Q000032:analysis; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood; D000096:Acetone / Q000032:analysis; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000032:analysis; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000432:Methanol / Q000032:analysis; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D012997:Solvents / Q000032:analysis; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D053802:Tryptases / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry
D019840:2-Propanol; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D000096:Acetone; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D003287:Contrast Media; D003404:Creatinine; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine; D000431:Ethanol; D005947:Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D000432:Methanol; D011188:Potassium; D012964:Sodium; D012997:Solvents; D053802:Tryptases; D014508:Urea; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human