title: Estimation of post mortem interval by tomographic images of intra-cardiac hypostasis.
abstract: The determination of the post mortem interval (PMI) is important in many instances, especially in criminal investigations. So, we consider post mortem tomographic evaluation of intra-cardiac hypostasis as an additional method for such purpose. Tomographic images of the thoraces of the corpses of 23 patients who died in a hospital were obtained sequentially at one hour intervals to allow the analysis of changes in density due to hypostasis over time. The right and left atria, which appear in the mediastinal window, were selected for measurements of the average organ density. An exponential model was used to relate the difference between the attenuation coefficients of the anterior segment of the right atrium and the posterior segment of the left atrium to the PMI. In spite of the large variability of the data from this observational study, PMI estimates during the first 12 h after death can be estimated with a margin of error smaller than two hours. The results suggest that the difference between the attenuation coefficients stabilizes around 12 h post mortem and may be used as an additional method to estimate the PMI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: tazerbini@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Talita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zerbini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Ferraz
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Artur
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lobato Baptista
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute of Hospital das Clínicas of Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Seigo
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ikari
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigues de Araujo
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics from Institute of Mathematics and Statistics of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carmen Diva Saldiva
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: de André
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics from Institute of Mathematics and Statistics of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Motta Singer
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics from Institute of Mathematics and Statistics of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Marcelo Monteiro
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: da Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson Amaro
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto Gonçalves
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pasqualucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology from Faculty of Medicine of São Paulo University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Hilario Nascimento
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldiva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autopsy; Computed tomography; Forensic; Hypostasis; Post mortem changes; Post mortem interval