title: The importance of hemosiderin deposition in the infant brain: an autopsy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Iron is an essential element involved in many metabolic processes. Presence and accumulation of iron in various body systems can result in different outcomes. Its accumulation in the central nervous system (CNS) cannot be detected routinely by application of hematoxylin-eosin staining. Detection of the presence of hemosiderin in the brain and cerebellum by application of Perls' dye is of importance in cases of infant deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, brain and cerebellar specimens obtained from 52 eligible infants  (aged 0-1 years) autopsied in our institute between the years 2010 and 2013, independent of the cause of death, were analyzed in order to detect possible presence of hemosiderin. Perls' dye was used to detect histopathological staining intensity and distribution of hemosiderin in the brain and cerebellum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases did not differ significantly as for the patients' age and gender (p =0.473), type of the culprit trauma (p =0.414), death/crime scene (p =0.587), and diagnosis groups (p =0.550). In this autopsy study blue colored hemosiderin granulations, stained with Perls' dye were detected in the brain (n: 39, 75%), and cerebellum (n: 35, 67.3%). A weakly negative, but significant correlation was detected between the postmortem interval and intensity values of cerebellar hemosiderin (Spearman's correlation coefficient: -0.381, p =0.024). A statistically significant difference was found between the distribution scores of cerebral hemosiderin in cases with and without trauma history (p =0.03). Median cerebral hemosiderin distribution scores were 2.5 and 2, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of a correlation between the presence of cerebral and cerebellar hemosiderin, and postmortem interval in the age group of 0-1 years, should be interpreted as an important finding in the analysis of cerebral iron. The presence of hemosiderin in the CNS may be a significant finding in the elucidation of infant deaths and this procedure should be carried out on a routine basis.Hippokratia 2015; 19 (2):164-171.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Department, Uludağ University Medical Faculty, Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey, Bursa Morgue Department, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Türkmen İnanır
authors.affiliation: Bursa Morgue Department, Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Çanakkale Onsekizmart University Medical Faculty, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akgöz
authors.affiliation: Bursa Morgue Department, Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.affiliation: Kayseri Morgue Department, Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Çetin
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Institute, Istanbul University, Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: U N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Gündoğmuş
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Çomunoğlu
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Acıbadem University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Çomunoğlu
keywords: Brain; autopsy; hemosiderin; infant