Forensic Application of Postmortem Diffusion-Weighted and Diffusion Tensor MR Imaging of the Human Brain in Situ

Scheurer, Eva; Lövblad, Karl-Olof; Kreis, Roland; Maier, Stephan E.; Boesch, Chris; Dirnhofer, Richard; Yen, Kathrin

doi:10.3174/ajnr.a2508

Cited by 47 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…26,27 In addition, Kobayashi et al 27 noted a significant decrease of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value. Scheurer et al 53 confirmed this finding and observed a correlation between decreasing ADC values and increasing post-mortem intervals. They also found that the ADC values were generally lower in cases with traumatic and hypoxic brain injuries than in cases of heart failure.…”

Section: Step 3: Post-mortem Mr From Head To Toe Head and Neck Imagingsupporting

confidence: 73%

“…They also found that the ADC values were generally lower in cases with traumatic and hypoxic brain injuries than in cases of heart failure. 53 Further research is currently underway to investigate and characterize how normal post-mortem changes, such as decomposition and changes in body temperature, affect the quality of PMMR and various MR parameters, including ADC values. Both Añon et al 49 and Yen et al 48 compared PMMR (and PMCT) of the head to autopsy.…”

Section: Step 3: Post-mortem Mr From Head To Toe Head and Neck Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults

Ruder¹,

Thali²,

Hatch³

2014

BJR

119

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Section: Step 3: Post-mortem Mr From Head To Toe Head and Neck Imagingsupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Step 3: Post-mortem Mr From Head To Toe Head and Neck Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults

Ruder¹,

Thali²,

Hatch³

2014

BJR

119

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“…8,9 Because radiological imaging became routine in forensic investigation with the application of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), PMCT angiography, and postmortem magnetic resonance (PMMR), additional technologies such as molecular magnetic resonance and diffusion-weighted imaging are being explored for their diagnostic benefit. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of postmortem DTI (PMDTI) in forensics, as well as its influencing factors and correlation to the cause of death compared with autopsy.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep Into the Fibers! Postmortem Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Forensic Radiology

Flach

Schroth

Schweitzer

et al. 2015

American Journal of Forensic Medicine &Amp; Pathology

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Purpose: In traumatic brain injury, diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging of the brain are essential techniques for determining the pathology sustained and the outcome. Postmortem cross-sectional imaging is an established adjunct to forensic autopsy in death investigation. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate postmortem diffusion tensor imaging in forensics for its feasibility, influencing factors and correlation to the cause of death compared with autopsy.Methods: Postmortem computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging with fiber tracking were performed in 10 deceased subjects. The Likert scale grading of colored fractional anisotropy maps was correlated to the body temperature and intracranial pathology to assess the diagnostic feasibility of postmortem diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tracking.Results: Optimal fiber tracking (>15,000 fiber tracts) was achieved with a body temperature at 10°C. Likert scale grading showed no linear correlation (P > 0.7) to fiber tract counts. No statistically significant correlation between total fiber count and postmortem interval could be observed (P = 0.122). Postmortem diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tracking allowed for radiological diagnosis in cases with shearing injuries but was impaired in cases with pneumencephalon and intracerebral mass hemorrhage.Conclusions: Postmortem diffusion tensor imaging with fiber tracking provides an exceptional in situ insight "deep into the fibers" of the brain with diagnostic benefit in traumatic brain injury and axonal injuries in the assessment of the underlying cause of death, considering influencing factors for optimal imaging technique.

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“…There is evidence that these techniques can be used in the post-mortem setting, although the normal post-mortem appearance is radically different to the clinical normal, but may help with both time from death and cause, particularly in relation to the brain. 29,[97][98][99] CONCLUSIONS What is clear from the multitude of research avenues is that the scientific community is still a long way from understanding the detailed post-mortem physiological changes that dictate tissue changes, contrast dispersal patterns and complex imaging findings. However, much has been learnt, and there is no doubt that imaging should be used in many different indications in the investigation of death.…”

Section: Other Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adult post-mortem imaging in traumatic and cardiorespiratory death and its relation to clinical radiological imaging

Morgan¹,

Adlam²,

Robinson³

et al. 2014

BJR

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The use of post-mortem imaging is expanding throughout the world with increasing use of advanced imaging techniques, such as contrast-enhanced CT and MRI. The questions asked of post-mortem imaging are complex and can be very different, for example for natural sudden death investigation will focus on the cause, whereas for trauma the cause of death is often clear, but injury patterns may be very revealing in investigating the background to the incident. Postmortem imaging is different to clinical imaging regarding both the appearance of pathology and the information required, but there is much to learn from many years of clinical research in the use of these techniques. Furthermore, it is possible that post-mortem imaging research could be used not only for investigating the cause of death but also as a model to conduct clinically relevant research. This article reviews challenges to the development of post-mortem imaging for trauma, identification and cardiorespiratory death, and how they may be influenced by current clinical thinking and practice.

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Forensic Application of Postmortem Diffusion-Weighted and Diffusion Tensor MR Imaging of the Human Brain in Situ

Cited by 47 publications

References 38 publications

Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults

Essentials of forensic post-mortem MR imaging in adults

Deep Into the Fibers! Postmortem Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Forensic Radiology

Adult post-mortem imaging in traumatic and cardiorespiratory death and its relation to clinical radiological imaging

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