Abstract
Introduction: Can CT-scanning of deceased at the medico legal external examination improve the selection of cases to autopsy? Is CT-scanning a substitute or a supplement to the traditional forensic autopsy?
Material: In 2006 60 deceased individuals from Southern Denmark (counties of Fyn and Sønderjylland) (15 females and 45 males) were CT-scanned before autopsy.
Method: A double-blind prospective investigation of CT-scanning in autopsy cases. A multislice spiral CT-scanner (Siemens Somatom Spirit) was used. Data from the CT-scanning and the autopsy were registered in a computer database and compared.
Results: The scanning could be performed in 10 minutes per case. In approximately a third of the cases the cause of death could be established by CT-scanning alone. CT-scanning was found to be most useful in cases of traumatic death, and was superior to autopsy in visualizing fractures.
Conclusions: CT-scanning is not a substitute for autopsy, but can be used at the medico legal external examination to evaluate in which cases an autopsy is needed. It can also be used as a supplement to the autopsy in cases of traumatic death, and is especially useful in evaluation of injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents and in gunshot injuries, and for identification purposes.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | XX Congress of International Academy of Legal Medicine |
| Editors | P. Sotonyi |
| Publisher | Medimond |
| Publication date | 2006 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-88-7587-320-2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
| Event | Congress of International Academy of Legal Medicine - Budapest, Hungary Duration: 23. Aug 2006 → 26. Aug 2006 Conference number: 20 |
Conference
| Conference | Congress of International Academy of Legal Medicine |
|---|---|
| Number | 20 |
| Country/Territory | Hungary |
| City | Budapest |
| Period | 23/08/2006 → 26/08/2006 |
Keywords
- Forensic Medicine
- Forensic Radiology
- Computerized Tomography