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European Radiology
Published in: European Radiology 6/2017

01-06-2017 | Forensic Medicine

Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping

Authors: Yuichi Nishiyama, Hidekazu Kanayama, Hiroshi Mori, Keiji Tada, Yasushi Yamamoto, Takashi Katsube, Haruo Takeshita, Kazunori Kawakami, Hajime Kitagaki

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 6/2017

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Abstract

Objectives

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.

Key Points

• 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.
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Metadata
Title
Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping
Authors
Yuichi Nishiyama
Hidekazu Kanayama
Hiroshi Mori
Keiji Tada
Yasushi Yamamoto
Takashi Katsube
Haruo Takeshita
Kazunori Kawakami
Hajime Kitagaki
Publication date
01-06-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Radiology / Issue 6/2017
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4633-7

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