Published in:
Open Access
01-01-2017 | Methods Paper
Post-mortem computed tomography coaxial cutting needle biopsy to facilitate the detection of bacterioplankton using PCR probes as a diagnostic indicator for drowning
Authors:
Guy N. Rutty, Christopher Johnson, Jasmin Amoroso, Claire Robinson, Carina J. Bradley, Bruno Morgan
Published in:
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|
Issue 1/2017
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Abstract
We report for the first time the use of coaxial cutting needle biopsy, guided by post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT), to sample internal body tissues for bacterioplankton PCR analysis to investigate drowning. This technical report describes the biopsy technique, the comparison of the needle biopsy and the invasive autopsy sampling results, as well as the PMCT and autopsy findings. By using this new biopsy sampling approach for bacterioplankton PCR, we have developed on previous papers describing the minimally invasive PMCT approach for the diagnosis of drowning. When such a system is used, the operator must take all precautions to avoid contamination of the core biopsy samples due to the sensitivity of PCR-based analytic systems.