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01-07-2006 | Original Article

Postmortem imaging of blood and its characteristics using MSCT and MRI

Authors: C. Jackowski, M. Thali, E. Aghayev, K. Yen, M. Sonnenschein, K. Zwygart, R. Dirnhofer, P. Vock

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 4/2006

Abstract

The rapid development of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) led to the introduction and establishment in postmortem investigations. The objectives of this preliminary study were to describe the imaging appearances of the early postmortem changes of blood after cessation of the circulation, such as sedimentation, postmortem clotting, and internal livores, and to give a few first suggestions on how to differentiate them from other forensic findings. In the Virtopsy project, 95 human corpses underwent postmortem imaging by CT and MRI prior to traditional autopsy and therefore 44 cases have been investigated in this study. Postmortem alterations as well as the forensic relevant findings of the blood, such as internal or subcutaneous bleedings, are presented on the basis of their imaging appearances in multislice CT and MRI.

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Title: Postmortem imaging of blood and its characteristics using MSCT and MRI
Authors: C. Jackowski
M. Thali
E. Aghayev
K. Yen
M. Sonnenschein
K. Zwygart
R. Dirnhofer
P. Vock
Publication date: 01-07-2006
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 4/2006
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-005-0023-4

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