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Forensic radiology is a new subspecialty that has arisen worldwide in the field of forensic medicine. Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and, to a lesser extent, PMCT angiography (PMCTA), are established imaging methods that have replaced dated conventional X-ray images in morgues. However, these methods have not been standardized for postmortem imaging. Therefore, this article outlines the main approach for a recommended standard protocol for postmortem cross-sectional imaging that focuses on unenhanced PMCT and PMCTA. This review should facilitate the implementation of a high-quality protocol that enables standardized reporting in morgues, associated hospitals or private practices that perform forensic scans to provide the same quality that clinical scans provide in court.

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Postmortem whole-body MRI had overall good performance for depicting traumatic findings in corpses and therefore may serve an important role as an adjunct to classic autopsy for the forensic examination of cases of traumatic cause of death. However, the reduced sensitivity of postmortem MRI for lacerations of the upper abdominal organs and the observed superimposition of antemortem findings and postmortem findings (e.g., in the pulmonary tissue) in this retrospective study suggest that whole-body postmortem MRI not be recommended as a replacement for classic autopsy.

Whole-body postmortem computed tomographic (CT) angiography is a promising new development in forensic radiology that has the potential to improve vascular and soft-tissue imaging beyond levels currently achievable with unenhanced postmortem CT. Postmortem access to the vascular system and injection of contrast medium are different from those steps in clinical (antemortem) radiology. Because there is no circulation in a corpse that could transport or dilute a contrast medium, the injection must be performed by using a roller pump to fill the vasculature (arterial and venous) with a mixture of a water-soluble iodized contrast medium and polyethylene glycol. In contrast to a classic autopsy, postmortem CT angiography is a minimally invasive procedure. It allows the diagnosis of vascular lesions without the disruption or destruction of anatomic structures, which could result in a loss of evidence in a criminal investigation. Furthermore, postmortem CT angiography facilitates the display of vascular pathologic conditions in areas that are not typically covered with autopsy alone, such as the craniocervical junction and the small pelvis. Therefore, postmortem CT angiography adds substantial value to the classic forensic autopsy; cross-sectional data can be reevaluated objectively at any time and are fully reproducible as counterexpertise, which is as useful in the fields of forensic medicine and pathology as in clinical research. Familiarity with the capabilities of postmortem CT angiography may help radiologists working with forensic cases improve their diagnostic performance.

The ongoing development of imaging and the recent integration of cross-sectional imaging methods into the medicolegal workflow have resulted in an increasing number of forensic institutes acquiring dedicated CT and MRI scanners. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the different aspects of postmortem imaging and to detail the necessary cooperation between radiologists and forensic pathologists for mutual learning and accurate science to form a new subspecialty: forensic radiology. CONCLUSION; Forensic radiology must integrate the expertise of forensic pathologists and radiologists. The challenge is to unite these two disciplines first by direct and intense communications and second by a basic understanding of forensic pathology by radiologists as well as a foundational knowledge of postmortem imaging by forensic pathologists, in combination with the establishment of educational and reporting guidelines.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic potential of color-coded Doppler sonography (CCDS), power-Doppler (PD) and B-flow ultrasound in assessing the degree of extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis in comparison to CT-angiography (MD-CTA). Thirty-two consecutive patients referred for CTA with 41 ICA-stenoses were included in this prospective study. MD-CTA was performed using a 64 row scanner with a CTDIvol of 13.1 mGy/cm. In CTA, CCDS, PD and B-flow, the degree of stenosis was evaluated by the minimal intrastenotic diameter in comparison to the poststenotic diameter. Two radiologists performed a quantitative evaluation of the stenoses in consensus blinded to the results of ultrasound. These were correlated to CTA, CCDS, PD and B-flow, intraoperative findings and clinical follow-up. Grading of the stenoses in B-flow ultrasound outperformed the other techniques in terms of accuracy with a correlation coefficient to CTA of 0.88, while PD and CCDS measurements yield coefficients of 0.74 and 0.70. Bland-Altman analysis additionally shows a very little bias of the three US methods between 0.5 and 3.2 %. There is excellent correlation (coefficient 0.88, CI 0.77-0.93) with 64-MD-CTA and B-flow ultrasound in terms of accuracy for intrastenotic and poststenotic diameter. Duplex sonography is useful for screening purposes.

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