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Zhang X, Xiao J, Yang F, Qu H, Ye C, Chen S, Guo Y. Identification of sudden cardiac death from human blood using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and machine learning. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1139-1148. [PMID: 38047927 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03118-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to identify a rapid, sensitive, and non-destructive auxiliary approach for postmortem diagnosis of SCD, addressing the challenges faced in forensic practice. METHODS ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was employed to collect spectral features of blood samples from different cases, combined with pathological changes. Mixed datasets were analyzed using ANN, KNN, RF, and SVM algorithms. Evaluation metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and confusion matrix were used to select the optimal algorithm and construct the postmortem diagnosis model for SCD. RESULTS A total of 77 cases were collected, including 43 cases in the SCD group and 34 cases in the non-SCD group. A total of 693 spectrogram were obtained. Compared to other algorithms, the SVM algorithm demonstrated the highest accuracy, reaching 95.83% based on spectral biomarkers. Furthermore, by combing spectral biomarkers with age, gender, and cardiac histopathological changes, the accuracy of the SVM model could get 100%. CONCLUSION Integrating artificial intelligence technology, pathology, and physical chemistry analysis of blood components can serve as an effective auxiliary method for postmortem diagnosis of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiao Xiao
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fengqin Yang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongke Qu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chengxin Ye
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Sile Chen
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yadong Guo
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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2
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Funayama K, Koyama A, Katsuragi-Go R, Aoyama T, Watanabe H, Takahashi N, Takatsuka H. Bleeding-Source Exploration in Subdural Hematoma: Observational Study on the Usefulness of Postmortem Computed Tomography Angiography. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2286. [PMID: 37443680 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In a few cases, postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) is effective in postmortem detection of cortical artery rupture causing subdural hematoma (SDH), which is difficult to detect at autopsy. Here, we explore the usefulness and limitations of PMCTA in detecting the sites of cortical arterial rupture for SDH. In 6 of 10 cases, extravascular leakage of contrast material at nine different places enabled PMCTA to identify cortical arterial rupture. PMCTA did not induce destructive arterial artifacts, which often occur during autopsy. We found that, although not in all cases, PMCTA could show the site of cortical arterial rupture causing subdural hematoma in some cases. This technique is beneficial for cases of SDH autopsy, as it can be performed nondestructively and before destructive artifacts from the autopsy occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhisa Funayama
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
- Center of Cause of Death Investigation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Akihide Koyama
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
- Center of Cause of Death Investigation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Rieka Katsuragi-Go
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
- Center of Cause of Death Investigation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Takashi Aoyama
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Hiraku Watanabe
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Naoya Takahashi
- Center of Cause of Death Investigation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
- Department of Radiological Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8518, Japan
| | - Hisakazu Takatsuka
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
- Center of Cause of Death Investigation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
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State of the Art on the Role of Postmortem Computed Tomography Angiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Cardiac Causes of Death: A Narrative Review. Tomography 2022; 8:961-973. [PMID: 35448711 PMCID: PMC9025017 DOI: 10.3390/tomography8020077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The need of a minimally invasive approach, especially in cases of cultural or religious oppositions to the internal examination of the body, has led over the years to the introduction of postmortem CT (PMCT) methodologies within forensic investigations for the comprehension of the cause of death in selected cases (e.g., traumatic deaths, acute hemorrhages, etc.), as well as for personal identification. The impossibility to yield clear information concerning the coronary arteries due to the lack of an active circulation to adequately distribute contrast agents has been subsequently overcome by the introduction of coronary-targeted PMCT Angiography (PMCTA), which has revealed useful in the detection of stenoses related to calcifications and/or atherosclerotic plaques, as well as in the suspicion of thrombosis. In parallel, due to the best ability to study the soft tissues, cardiac postmortem MR (PMMR) methodologies have been further implemented, which proved suitable for the detection and aging of infarcted areas, and for cardiomyopathies. Hence, the purpose of the present work to shed light on the state of the art concerning the value of both coronary-targeted PMCTA and PMMR in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and/or myocardial infarction as causes of death, further evaluating their suitability as alternatives or complementary approaches to standard autopsy and histologic investigations.
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Lee H, Lee S, Baek T, Cha JG, Yang KM. Natural Death. FORENSIC IMAGING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-83352-7_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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5
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Wach A, Faßbender C, Ackermann H, Parzeller M. [A retrospective mortality analysis of natural deaths of the 65+ generation based on postmortem autopsies performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Frankfurt am Main during two periods]. Rechtsmedizin (Berl) 2021; 31:509-519. [PMID: 33716407 PMCID: PMC7938877 DOI: 10.1007/s00194-021-00469-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY In Germany, a constant demographic change is taking place, which leads to an increasing aging of the society. The present study aimed to analyze natural deaths occurring at an age of ≥ 65 years, since health vulnerability in this age group is gaining importance. MATERIAL AND METHODS Autopsy reports of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital of the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Germany, were retrospectively evaluated regarding natural death cases of ≥ 65-year-olds in a time comparison (period I: 2000-2002; period II: 2013-2015). RESULTS During both periods, a total of 1206 autopsies concerning this age group were performed. Among these, 404 cases (33.5%) of unnatural death and 39 cases (3.2%) of a combination of natural and unnatural death were recorded; in 94 cases (7.8%), the manner of death could not be elucidated. The majority (n = 669; 55.5%) included cases of natural death. In the largest group of these (n = 350; 52.3%), cardiac causes of death were predominant, followed by 132 (19.7%) respiratory and 47 (7.0%) abdominal causes of death. In addition, 37 (5.5%) cases of malignant neoplasms, 33 (4.9%) of ruptures of large vessels, 33 (4.9%) of cerebral, and 37 (5.5%) other cases of natural death were noted. A significant decrease of cardiac causes of death was observed in the comparison of periods I and II. In particular, there was a significant decrease in high-grade occlusive coronary sclerosis. Moreover, there were significant differences between both sexes. Men had significantly more bypasses, stents and heart scars and suffered a myocardial infarction about 10 years earlier than women. CONCLUSION The results of the present study are largely consistent with the literature. The decrease in numbers of cardiac deaths may be attributed to increasingly better medical care and to a significantly higher rate of stent implantation. Especially in times of pandemics, the role of forensic gerontology will become more important.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Wach
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M., Kennedyallee 104, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
| | - C. Faßbender
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M., Kennedyallee 104, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
| | - H. Ackermann
- Institut für Biostatistik und Mathematische Modellierung, Zentrum der Gesundheitswissenschaften, Klinikum und Fachbereich Medizin, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M., Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
| | - M. Parzeller
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M., Kennedyallee 104, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
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6
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Impact of increasing levels of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction on image quality in oil-based postmortem CT angiography in coronary arteries. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:1869-1878. [PMID: 33629138 PMCID: PMC8354936 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02530-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Postmortem multi-detector computed tomography (PMCT) has become an important part in forensic imaging. Modern reconstruction techniques such as iterative reconstruction (IR) are frequently used in postmortem CT angiography (PMCTA). The image quality of PMCTA depends on the strength of IR. For this purpose, we aimed to investigate the impact of different advanced IR levels on the objective and subjective PMCTA image quality. Material and methods We retrospectively analyzed the coronary arteries of 27 human cadavers undergoing whole-body postmortem CT angiography between July 2017 and March 2018 in a single center. Iterative reconstructions of the coronary arteries were processed in five different level settings (0%; 30%; 50%; 70%; 100%) by using an adaptive statistical IR method. We evaluated the objective (contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR)) and subjective image quality in several anatomical locations. Results Our results demonstrate that the increasing levels of an IR technique have relevant impact on the image quality in PMCTA scans in forensic postmortem examinations. Higher levels of IR have led to a significant reduction of image noise and therefore to a significant improvement of objective image quality (+ 70%). However, subjective image quality is inferior at higher levels of IR due to plasticized image appearance. Conclusion Objective image quality in PMCTA progressively improves with increasing level of IR with the best CNR at the highest IR level. However, subjective image quality is best at low to medium levels of IR. To obtain a “classic” image appearance with optimal image quality, PMCTAs should be reconstructed at medium levels of IR.
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7
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Paratz ED, Costello B, Rowsell L, Morgan N, Smith K, Thompson T, Semsarian C, Pflaumer A, James P, Stub D, La Gerche A, Zentner D, Parsons S. Can post-mortem coronary artery calcium scores aid diagnosis in young sudden death? Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2020; 17:27-35. [PMID: 33190173 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-020-00335-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This study sought to explore the feasibility and utility of post-mortem coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring in identifying patients with ischemic heart disease as cause of sudden death. 100 deceased patients aged 18-50 years underwent post-mortem examination in the setting of sudden death. At post-mortem, fifty cases were determined to have ischemic heart disease, and fifty had death attributed to trauma or unascertained causes. The CAC score was calculated in a blinded manner from post-mortem CTs performed on all cases. CAC scores were assessable in 97 non-decomposed cases (feasibility 97%). The median CAC score was 88 Agatston units [IQR 0-286] in patients deceased from ischemic heart disease vs 0 [IQR 0-0] in patients deceased from other causes (p < 0.0001). Presence of any coronary calcification differed significantly between ischemic heart disease and non-ischemic groups (adjusted odds ratio 10.7, 95% CI 3.2-35.5). All cases with a CAC score > 100 (n = 22) had ischemic heart disease as the cause of death. Fifteen cases had a CAC score of zero but severe coronary disease at post-mortem examination. Post-mortem CAC scoring is highly feasible. An elevated CAC score in cases 18-50 years old with sudden death predicts ischemic heart disease at post-mortem examination. However, a CAC score of zero does not exclude significant coronary artery disease. Post-mortem CAC score may be considered as a further assessment tool to help predict likely cause of death when there is an objection to or unavailability of post-mortem examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Paratz
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia. .,Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia. .,St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, 41 Victoria Pde, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia.
| | - Ben Costello
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.,St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, 41 Victoria Pde, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Luke Rowsell
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
| | - Natalie Morgan
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, 65 Kavanagh St, Southbank, VIC, 3006, Australia
| | - Karen Smith
- , Ambulance Victoria, 375 Manningham Rd, Doncaster, VIC, 3108, Australia.,Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Tina Thompson
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan St, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Chris Semsarian
- Centenary Institute and The University of Sydney, Missenden Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Andreas Pflaumer
- Royal Children's Hospital, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville Melbourne, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, Melbourne University, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Paul James
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Dion Stub
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.,Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.,Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - André La Gerche
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.,Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.,St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, 41 Victoria Pde, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Dominica Zentner
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan St, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia.,Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Sarah Parsons
- Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, 65 Kavanagh St, Southbank, VIC, 3006, Australia.,Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 65 Kavanagh St, Southbank, VIC, 3006, Australia
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8
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Cascini F, Polacco M, Cittadini F, Paliani GB, Oliva A, Rossi R. Post-mortem computed tomography for forensic applications: A systematic review of gunshot deaths. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2020; 60:54-62. [PMID: 31739723 DOI: 10.1177/0025802419883164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The first reported application of computed tomography (CT) to the field of forensic medicine was in 1977 for the study of gunshot injuries to the head. Since then, CT scanning has shown increased uses within the field of forensic practice. In this study a systematic literature search was carried out by consulting 17 electronic scientific databases. This systematic review considers studies published to date concerning the use of post-mortem CT (PMCT) in gunshot injury cases; this review shows variability between the PMCT and autopsy examination findings. Furthermore we identify the technical differences between the selected studies, emphasizing the specific findings obtainable with PMCT, in order to support forensic research towards shared and validated practices, whose results are used as evidence in the courtroom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fidelia Cascini
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
| | - Matteo Polacco
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
| | - Francesca Cittadini
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Oliva
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
| | - Riccardo Rossi
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
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9
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La Russa R, Catalano C, Di Sanzo M, Scopetti M, Gatto V, Santurro A, Viola RV, Panebianco V, Frati P, Fineschi V. Postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) and traditional autopsy in cases of sudden cardiac death due to coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Radiol Med 2018; 124:109-117. [PMID: 30259270 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-018-0943-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several studies have been performed to assess the efficacy of postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) in solving cases of sudden cardiac death, even in comparison with the traditional autopsy. However, the results were often inconsistent and inconclusive. Therefore, a global discussion on the subject through a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis is necessary. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed was performed up to April 23, 2018. Studies exploring the role of PMCTA in cases of sudden cardiac death and the accuracy of this method in diagnosing the cause of death compared to traditional autopsy were included. RESULTS The overall sensitivity and specificity of the seven included studies, using conventional autopsy as a reference standard, were 92% and 95%, respectively. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were, respectively, 20.76 (95% CI 1.16-370.2) and 0.08 (95% CI 0.03-0.17), showing that PMCTA represents a strong indicator of the posttest probability of disease. The diagnostic odds ratio and the area under the curve were, respectively, 261.54 (95% CI 1.87-5760.53) and 0.93 (95% CI 0.90-0.95), indicating a high diagnostic power of the test. CONCLUSION PMCTA demonstrated a high accuracy in the diagnosis of parietal and luminal coronary changes but was less effective in detecting myocardial ischemia and necrosis. Therefore, the only radiological investigation is often insufficient to determine the cause of sudden death and the conventional autopsy remains the gold standard. However, PMCTA can improve the performance of the autopsy, serving as an aid and guide in the sampling phase for histopathological investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele La Russa
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077, Italy
| | - Carlo Catalano
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, Sapienza University, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariantonia Di Sanzo
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Scopetti
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Gatto
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Santurro
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Rocco Valerio Viola
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Panebianco
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, Sapienza University, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077, Italy
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161, Rome, Italy. .,IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, Pozzilli, 86077, Italy.
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10
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Macchi V, Picardi EEE, Porzionato A, Morra A, Tabarin L, Gusella F, Grignon B, De Caro R. Friar Leopold Mandic (1866-1942): the computed tomography of the body of a saint. Surg Radiol Anat 2018; 40:967-975. [PMID: 29948041 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-018-2050-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In forensic clinical anatomy computed tomography (CT) is used in post-mortem radiological investigation as an objective nondestructive documentation of the body surface and of the interior of the body. This technique is applied also in paleopathology, in particular in mummy studies, with the aim of providing a permanent record of the mummy's features, investigating the embalming procedure employed and analyzing the extent of the preservation in detail. METHODS For the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the mortal remains of Saint Leopold Mandic and Saint Pio da Pietralcina, as examples of Mercy known by everyone, have been brought to Rome in February 2016. During the survey that preceded the preparation for transport to Rome, a whole-body CT was performed on the mummified corpse of Leopold Mandic, Capuchin Saint of Padova, Italy. RESULTS The CT examination demonstrated the presence of osteoarthritis at the level of the vertebral column, of the left knee and of the left hand. Moreover, CT showed the preservation of skeleton and partial preservation of the some viscera, such as remnants of the brain, heart, oesophagus, urinary bladder, plexuses and spinal nerves, ear ossicles, major arterial vessels (aorta and carotid arteries). It is to emphasize the fact that Saint Leopold was not subjected before the CT to any conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS Computed tomography demonstrated to be a non-destructive method to investigate Saint Leopold, in order to maintain the integrity of the body and to acquire data on his pathologies and on his preservation. CT allows not only the acquisition of sectional images but also, thanks to dedicated software, the post-processing and reconstruction of three-dimensional models, that can be used also for public displays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Macchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35127, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Porzionato
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35127, Padova, Italy
| | - Aldo Morra
- Section of Radiology, Euganea Medica Center, Padova, Italy
| | - Lineo Tabarin
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35127, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Bruno Grignon
- Department of Anatomy and Guilloz Imaging, CHU Nancy, Nancy, France
| | - Raffaele De Caro
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35127, Padova, Italy.
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11
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Lin H, Luo Y, Sun Q, Zhang J, Tuo Y, Zhang Z, Wang L, Deng K, Chen Y, Huang P, Wang Z. Identification of Pulmonary Edema in Forensic Autopsy Cases of Sudden Cardiac Death Using Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy: A Pilot Study. Anal Chem 2018; 90:2708-2715. [PMID: 29364657 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b04642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have proven the usefulness of biofluid-based infrared spectroscopy in the clinical domain for diagnosis and monitoring the progression of diseases. Here we present a state-of-the-art study in the forensic field that employed Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy for postmortem diagnosis of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by in situ biochemical investigation of alveolar edema fluid in lung tissue sections. The results of amide-related spectral absorbance analysis demonstrated that the pulmonary edema fluid of the SCD group was richer in protein components than that of the neurologic catastrophe (NC) and lethal multiple injuries (LMI) groups. The complementary results of unsupervised principle component analysis (PCA) and genetic algorithm-guided partial least-squares discriminant analysis (GA-PLS-DA) further indicated different global spectral band patterns of pulmonary edema fluids between these three groups. Ultimately, a random forest (RF) classification model for postmortem diagnosis of SCD was built and achieved good sensitivity and specificity scores of 97.3% and 95.5%, respectively. Classification predictions of unknown pulmonary edema fluid collected from 16 cases were also performed by the model, resulting in 100% correct discrimination. This pilot study demonstrates that FTIR microspectroscopy in combination with chemometrics has the potential to be an effective aid for postmortem diagnosis of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hancheng Lin
- Department of Forensic Pathology, Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an, 710061, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Yiwen Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Qiran Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Ji Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Ya Tuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Shanghai, 201318, China
| | - Zhong Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Kaifei Deng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Yijiu Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science , Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Zhenyuan Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an, 710061, China
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De Marco E, Vacchiano G, Frati P, La Russa R, Santurro A, Scopetti M, Guglielmi G, Fineschi V. Evolution of post-mortem coronary imaging: from selective coronary arteriography to post-mortem CT-angiography and beyond. Radiol Med 2018; 123:351-358. [PMID: 29357039 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-018-0855-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Since the 1970s, remarkable efforts have been made in the post-mortem coronary study, especially by angiography, as an added tool to diagnose heart-related deaths. In more recent times, post-mortem CT (PMCT) and post-mortem CT-angiography (PMCTA) have become an established practice in numerous forensic units, because of the undeniable advantages these diagnostic instruments can offer: data acquisition times are increasingly fast, costs have become lower and, once acquired, data can be re-utilized and re-evaluated at any given time. This review aims to chart the history of post-mortem cardiac imaging, highlighting its evolution both in terms of methodology and technology as well as the contribution that forensic radiology has been able to offer to forensic pathology, not as an alternative to autopsy but as a guide and aid when performing one. Finally, the latest advances in the study of cardiac deaths are explored, namely by cardiac post-mortem MRI (PMMR), able to visualize all the various stages of a myocardial infarction, post-mortem MRI-angiography (PMMRA), useful in investigating coronary artery pathology and post-mortem cardiac micro-CT, able to provide near-histological levels of myocardial, coronary and valvular detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emidio De Marco
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vacchiano
- Department of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
- Malzoni Clinical-Scientific Institute, Avellino, Italy
| | - Raffaele La Russa
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
- Malzoni Clinical-Scientific Institute, Avellino, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Santurro
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Scopetti
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Guglielmi
- Department of Radiology, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100, Foggia, Italy.
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
- Malzoni Clinical-Scientific Institute, Avellino, Italy
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The Differential Diagnosis Between Natural Death and Homicide, an Everlasting Challenge for the Forensic Pathologist. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 38:14-17. [DOI: 10.1097/paf.0000000000000282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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