Is post-mortem ultrasonography a useful tool for forensic purposes?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the interest of post-mortem ultrasonography in the diagnosis of pathological background, and manner and cause of death.


METHODS
Post-mortem ultrasonography exams were carried out on 38 fresh human adult cadavers referred to the Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology (Garches, France). Data obtained from ultrasonography were independently compared with further forensic autopsy findings.


RESULTS
Two important limitations relative to ultrasound utilization appeared: hyper-echoic abdominal and thoracic walls, with gas distension of the whole digestive tube and subcutaneous tissues (due to precocious putrefactive gas releasing); and difficulty in accessing lateral and posterior structures (i.e. liver, spleen, kidneys, lung bases, aorta) due to rigor mortis and evident non-compliance of the subject. Post-mortem diagnoses (moderate ascites, gallbladder stones, bladder globe, chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis, thyroid gland cysts and hypertrophy, intrauterine device), were strongly limited. False negative diagnoses comprised fatty liver, pleural effusion, thoracic aortic dissection, and focal organ and/or soft tissues lesions (for example, wounds or infarcts).


CONCLUSIONS
According to the results, post-mortem ultrasonography seems to have a very limited role for forensic purposes. Other post-mortem utilizations are cited, proposed, and discussed.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, University Hospital R. Poincaré (AP-HP, UVSQ), France.
Philippe
P
Charlier
Pierre-Fleury
PF
Chaillot
Laurence
L
Watier
Mélissa
M
Ménétrier
Robert
R
Carlier
Stéphanie
S
Cavard
Christian
C
Hervé
Geoffroy Lorin
GL
de la Grandmaison
Isabelle
I
Huynh-Charlier
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005740:Gases; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
D005740:Gases
Post-mortem modification; autopsy alternative; cadaver; putrefactive gas; retrospective diagnosis