Validation study for postmortem MRI for death investigation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870102
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science; Legal medicine
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Makino Yohsuke 千葉大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 特任講師 (50725017)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 死後MRI / 死後CT / 死因推定 / 死後画像診断

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Postmortem computed tomography (CT) is not enough to establish the death investigation system based on imaging. It is recommended that some other imaging modalities to be performed. In our study, we have used mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for postmortem imaging prior to autopsy and evaluated its feasibility and utility for death investigation. As a result, all of the scans can be performed properly and it can be said our mobile MRI system is feasible for death investigations. From the comparison with CTs, there are some findings provided only by MRI, which suggests great advantages of this modality but some findings seem to be false positive. Larger numbers of cases must be included for future evaluation.

Free Research Field

法医学