Download virtopsy- a review

VIRTOPSY- A REVIEW
Dr. Arvind Kumar
Senior Demonstrator
Deptt. Of Forensic Medicine
UCMS
DELHI-110095
VIRTOPSY
Coined by Dr. Michael J Thali et al
VIRTOPSY= virtual + Autopsy
Essentials of virtopsy
Multi-slice Computed Tomography (MSCT)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
3-D/ CAD Photogrammetry
Application of Virtopsy
Atrium Mortis
Relevant forensic patho-morphologic findings
Forensic Vital reactions
Reconstruction of Injuries
Recapitulation and Visualization
Varying density values in a 3D MSCT reconstruction in a
case of blunt trauma to the head.
3D reconstruction of a skull fracture system from the
MSCT data in a case of a motor vehicle accident with
the victim having been run over by a car
Coronal T2 weighted MR image showing wound track
(arrows) through the brain in a suicidal gunshot case
Gadolinium enhanced MRI of patient with lateral wall
myocardial infarction. Four chamber view of heart with
bright signal in lateral wall of left ventricle (LV).
Figure showing comparison of spectrum from a human
brain with a PMI of about 520 hours (a) and one with a
PMI of 57 hours (b)
Merits and Demerits
Merits
* observer independent
* reproducible
* non invasive
* illustrative visualization
* forensic telemedicine consultation
Demerits
* MRI was unable to
# image coronary artery lesions
# differentiate thrombus from
postmortem clot
# differentiate pulmonary
oedema from pneumonic
exudates
# detect perinatal cardiac
malformations
* lack of validation
* interpretative problems in
advanced decomposition
* considerably high costs
* time consuming
Conclusion
The conventional method of
Autopsy is still the gold standard
The use of imaging technology
should be an autopsy adjunct
rather than a replacement
Thank you