title: Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging: Reproducing typical autopsy heart measurements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of cardiac postmortem magnetic resonance (PMMR) to perform routine measurements of the ventricular wall thicknesses and the heart valves and to assess if imaging measurements are consistent with traditional autopsy measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, 25 cases with cardiac PMMR and subsequent autopsy were included. The thicknesses of the myocardial walls as well as the circumferences of all heart valves were measured on cardiac PMMR and compared to autopsy measurements. Paired samples T-test and the Wilcoxon-Signed rank test, were used to compare autopsy and cardiac PMMR measurements. For exploring correlations, the Pearson's Correlation coefficient and the Spearman's Rho test were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac PMMR measurements of the aortic and pulmonary valve circumferences showed no significant differences from autopsy measurements. The mitral and tricuspid valves circumferences differed significantly from autopsy measurements. Left myocardial and right myocardial wall thickness also differed significantly from autopsy measurements. Left and right myocardial wall thickness, and tricuspid valve circumference measurements on cardiac PMMR and autopsy, correlated strongly and significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several PMMR measurements of cardiac parameters differ significantly from corresponding autopsy measurements. However, there is a strong correlation between cardiac PMMR measurements and autopsy measurements in the majority of these parameters. It is important to note that myocardial walls are thicker when measured in situ on cardiac PMMR than when measured at autopsy. Investigators using post-mortem MR should be aware of these differences in order to avoid false diagnoses of cardiac pathology based on cardiac PMMR.
authors.affiliation: Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Buehlstrasse 20, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland; Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Garyfalia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ampanozi
authors.affiliation: Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Buehlstrasse 20, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland; Radiology-Pathology Center for Forensic Imaging, Departments of Radiology and Pathology, University of New Mexico, MSC07 4040, 1101 Camino de Salud NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA.
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.affiliation: Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Buehlstrasse 20, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland; Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital, Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Flach
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thali
authors.affiliation: Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Buehlstrasse 20, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland; Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, University Hospital, Bern, Freiburgstrasse, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: thomas.ruder@irm.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Ruder
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Forensic imaging; Heart valves circumference; Myocardial wall thickness; Postmortem cardiac MR; Virtopsy; Virtual autopsy