title: Correlations Between the Autolytic Changes and Postmortem Interval in Refrigerated Cadavers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In forensic pathology the autolytic process has been observed and documented in order to determine the postmortem interval as accurately as possible. The observation and experiments have been carried out on cadavers exposed to environmental conditions - heat, humidity, air currents, soil, water.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this study hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained sections of organ samples from 30 autopsied bodies were examined under the microscope. Modifications of tissue and cell structures were noted in correlation with the bodies' time spent in the Morgue's mortuary refrigerator until the autopsy was performed, which varied between 24 hours and 22 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the organs sampled (lung, heart, liver and pancreas) showed severe autolytic alterations after 5 to 8 days. The most heavily affected was the pancreas, cells within Langherhans islets becoming complete autolyzed at the 36 hours mark. Inside organs, autolytic processes occur at different rates depending on the locations within that organ -deeply or superficial; in the heart after 4 or more days subendocardic myocardium shows less severe autolytic changes than the subepicardial one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autolytic processes have a delayed onset and a much lower progression rate in a cold controlled environment. Different organs suffer different rates of autolysis in correlation to their structure and enzymatic content.
authors.forename: Ela Andra
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cocariu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mageriu
authors.forename: Florica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stăniceanu
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bastian
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Socoliuc
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zurac
mesh_terms: D001329:Autolysis; D002102:Cadaver; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012034:Refrigeration; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors