Establishing the Fundamentals of Postmortem Imaging as a Method for Corpse Examination

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K17644
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science; Legal medicine
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: GONOI Wataru 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (60631174)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 死亡時画像診断 / 死後画像診断 / Postmortem Imaging / Forensic Radiology / 死後CT / Autopsy imaging / Postmortem CT / Virtopsy

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I conducted postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) in patients following non-traumatic in-hospital death. PMCT findings were compared to the clinical course, antemortem computed tomography (AMCT)findings, and autopsy findings. I assessed the following items: (1) PMCT of the lungs; (2) PMCT of the pulmonary vessels; (3) PMCT of ascites; (4) PMCT of the liver; (5) PMCT of the children up to 3 years of age. As a result, I found the following findings: (1) Some pulmonary PMCT findings increased with time elapsed since death, and specific findings were useful to diagnose pneumonia and pulmonary edema; (2) Diameters of pulmonary vessels decreased with time since death; (3) Elevation in CT value of ascites was observed due to administration of contrast-medium shortly before death; (4) CT value of the liver significantly decreased on PMCT compared to that of AMCT; (5) PMCT could improve diagnosis of causes of death over clinical diagnosis alone in fetuses and children.

Free Research Field

画像診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

死亡時画像診断は、重要な死因推定手段であるが、未だに多くの臓器や疾患で正しい解釈方法が明らかでない。肺や肺血管は死因に関与することが多いにも拘らず、これまで死後CT所見の報告が乏しく、判断材料に欠けていた。今回の研究では、正常な肺・肺動静脈の死後CT所見から始まり、頻度の高い肺炎や肺水腫の死後CT所見を明らかにした。本研究結果は、死後CTによる肺病変の診断を大きく前進させるものである。また、今回は腹水や肝臓についても新たな知見を得た。新生児や乳幼児においては、死後CTの施行が死因診断を改善することも明らかにした。死因推定の精度向上は、医療の発展、犯罪見逃し減少、社会の安寧に役立つ。