title: Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the usefulness of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for investigating postmortem changes on brain computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 128 patients (23 - 100 years old) without cerebral abnormalities who underwent unenhanced brain CT before and after death. The antemortem CT (AMCT) scans and postmortem CT (PMCT) scans were spatially normalized using our original brain CT template, and postmortem changes of CT values (in Hounsfield units; HU) were analysed by the SPM technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with AMCT scans, 58.6 % and 98.4 % of PMCT scans showed loss of the cerebral sulci and an unclear grey matter (GM)-white matter (WM) interface, respectively. SPM analysis revealed a significant decrease in cortical GM density within 70 min after death on PMCT scans, suggesting cytotoxic brain oedema. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the density of the WM, lenticular nucleus and thalamus more than 120 min after death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SPM technique demonstrated typical postmortem changes on brain CT scans, and revealed that the unclear GM-WM interface on early PMCT scans is caused by a rapid decrease in cortical GM density combined with a delayed increase in WM density. SPM may be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • The original brain CT template achieved successful normalization of brain morphology. • Postmortem changes in the brain were independent of sex. • Cortical GM density decreased rapidly after death. • WM and deep GM densities increased following cortical GM density change. • SPM could be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes.
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Nishiyama
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Hospital, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Hidekazu
authors: H
authors: Kanayama
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Mori
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Hospital, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Keiji
authors: K
authors: Tada
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Hospital, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Katsube
authors: Department of Legal Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
authors: Haruo
authors: H
authors: Takeshita
authors: Fujifilm RI Pharma, Co., Ltd., 2-14-1 Kyoubashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031, Japan.
authors: Kazunori
authors: K
authors: Kawakami
authors: Department of Radiology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan. kitagaki@med.shimane-u.ac.jp.
authors: Hajime
authors: H
authors: Kitagaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Brain; Computed tomography; Grey matter; Postmortem changes; White matter