Analyses of cardiopulmonary function using postmortem computed tomography

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860467
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Legal medicine
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Michiue Tomomi 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (00529240)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 死後CT / 呼吸・循環動態 / CT値（HU） / 肺含気量 / 肺含気率 / 大血管扁平化率 / 心臓拡張度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study investigated the terminal cardiopulmonary pathophysiology with regard to the cause of death by means of postmortem CT data analysis of forensic autopsy cases within 3 days postmortem, using the following indices: the estimated total lung air/gas content and aeration ratio; the virtual morphometric analysis of thoracic and abdominal great vessels; the estimated virtual total heart weight in situ, and estimated heart blood pooling (difference between estimated and measured heart weight) and the cardiac dilatation index (the ratio of estimated to measured heart weight). These parameters showed specific results with regard to the cause of death.The results suggest that the usefulness of applying these parameters as supplementary indicators of the terminal respiratory function, circulatory status, and central congestion to reinforce autopsy findings.

Free Research Field

法医学