title: Hepatic Relaxation Times from Postmortem MR Imaging of Adult Humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure T1 and T2 values of hepatic postmortem magnetic resonance (PMMR) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed hepatic PMMR imaging of 22 deceased adults (16 men, 6 women; mean age, 56.3 years) whose deaths were for reasons other than liver injury or disease at a mean of 27.7 hours after death. Before imaging, the bodies were kept in cold storage at 4°C (mean rectal temperature, 17.6°C). We measured T1 and T2 values in the liver at two sites (the anterior segment of the right lobe and the lateral segment of the left lobe). We also investigated the influence of the body temperature and postmortem interval on T1 and T2 values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the anterior segment of the right lobe and the lateral segment of the left lobe, T1 values of PMMR imaging were 524 ± 112 ms and 472 ± 104 ms (mean ± standard deviation), respectively; while T2 values were 42 ± 6 ms and 43 ± 8 ms, respectively. T1 and T2 values did not differ significantly between the two sites (P ≧ 0.05). Regarding temperature, the T2 values of hepatic PMMR imaging were linearly correlated with the body temperature, but the T1 values were not. The T1 and T2 values of the two sites in the liver did not correlate with the postmortem interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduction in body temperature after death is considered to induce T1 and T2 value changes in the liver on PMMR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seirei Fuji Hospital.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiotani
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: Harumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001831:Body Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors