title: The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of post mortem computed tomography in detecting liver and splenic injury due to road traffic accident.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of post mortem computed tomography (PMCT) in detecting liver and splenic injuries due to road traffic accidents.
  
  
  
  61 road traffic accidental death cases underwent both PMCT and conventional autopsy. The imaging findings were compared to the conventional autopsy findings.
  
  
  
  The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for liver injuries in PMCT was 71%, 82%, 68% and 85% while that of splenic injuries was 73%, 80%, 55% and 90% respectively. The accuracy of PMCT scan was 79% for both liver and splenic injuries. There is strong association between lower left ribs fracture and splenic injury (p=0.005) and significant association between positive liver and splenic PMCT finding and intraabdominal fatal injury (p=0.037).
  
  
  
  In conclusion PMCT has high specificity and NPV for liver and splenic injuries; however the sensitivity and PPV are low. The overall accuracy is not high enough to enable PMCT to be used as a replacement for conventional autopsy; however it is a useful complementary examination and has potential to be used as decision making tool for selective internal autopsy.
authors.affiliation: National University of Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine, Radiology Department, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. divaleen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Norzailin
authors.affiliation: KPJ University College, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noor Azman
authors.affiliation: Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Radiology Department, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Mohd Helmee
authors.affiliation: Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Forensic Department, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khairul Anuar
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed