title: Evaluation of post-mortem lateral cerebral ventricle changes using sequential scans during post-mortem computed tomography.
abstract: In the present study, we evaluated post-mortem lateral cerebral ventricle (LCV) changes using computed tomography (CT). Subsequent periodical CT scans termed "sequential scans" were obtained for three cadavers. The first scan was performed immediately after the body was transferred from the emergency room to the institute of legal medicine. Sequential scans were obtained and evaluated for 24 h at maximum. The time of death had been determined in the emergency room. The sequential scans enabled us to observe periodical post-mortem changes in CT images. The series of continuous LCV images obtained up to 24 h (two cases)/16 h (1 case) after death was evaluated. The average Hounsfield units (HU) within the LCVs progressively increased, and LCV volume progressively decreased over time. The HU in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) increased at an individual rate proportional to the post-mortem interval (PMI). Thus, an early longitudinal radiodensity change in the CSF could be potential indicator of post-mortem interval (PMI). Sequential imaging scans reveal post-mortem changes in the CSF space which may reflect post-mortem brain alterations. Further studies are needed to evaluate the proposed CSF change markers in correlation with other validated PMI indicators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, Hamburg, 22529, Germany. i-hase@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp.|Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Shimokasuya 143, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan. i-hase@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp.|Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office, Otsuka 4-21-18, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 112-0012, Japan. i-hase@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Naka-cho 2-24-16, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Naka-cho 2-24-16, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office, Otsuka 4-21-18, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 112-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, Hamburg, 22529, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, Hamburg, 22529, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Püschel
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, Hamburg, 22529, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinemann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Lateral cerebral ventricle; Post mortem interval; Post-mortem change; Post-mortem computed tomography; Sequential scan