2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Diagnosis of drowning using post-mortem radiological imaging.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24791270
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Radiation science
Research Institution	Tohoku University
Principal Investigator	KAWASUMI Yusuke 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (00513540)
Project Period (FY)	2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
Keywords	死亡時画像診断 / CT / 溺水
Research Abstract	Fluid accumulation in the maxillary or sphenoidal sinuses is more common in drowning victims. Pearson's chi-square tests demonstrated that fluid accumulation in the maxillary or sphenoidal sinuses was associated significantly with drowning. However, as it is present in 65% of the non-drowning victims as well, the presence of fluid cannot be used to diagnose drowning. The absence of fluid can be used to virtually exclude drowning. Both volume and density of fluid accumulation in the maxillary or sphenoidal sinuses differed significantly between the drowning and nondrowning cases, The observed difference may help forensic pathologists better diagnose the drowning cases. Fluid density of the maxillary or sphenoidal sinuses in saltwater drowning cases was significantly higher than that in freshwater drowning cases.The observed difference may help forensic pathologists better diagnose the specific cause of death in drowning cases.

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