Assessment of an inexpensive method of contrast enhancement for postmortem imaging

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24791274
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Awata Sachiko 群馬大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (50513397)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: オートプシー・イメージング / 死後画像

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gross anatomy lab cadavers were enhanced by drip infusion through the radial artery with oral contrast diluted with formaldehyde solution. In most cadavers, main blood vessels such as the middle cerebral artery and the femoral artery were well enhanced. Contrast solution reached the organs, but enhancement was heterogeneous. This might be due to intravascular thrombi in smaller arteries preventing peripheral enhancement. We did not explore methods on homogenizing enhancement. We did not enhance forensic autopsy cases. Enhancement might potentially displace fluid such as pleural effusion and ascites. We do not know of any method to correlate actual fluid volume with contrast enhanced postmortem CT findings, nor did we explore and assess new methods.

Free Research Field

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