VIRTOPSY- A VIRTOPSY- A REVIEWREVIEW

Dr. Arvind KumarDr. Arvind Kumar

Senior Demonstrator

Deptt. Of Forensic Medicine

UCMS

DELHI-110095

VIRTOPSYVIRTOPSY

Coined by Dr. Michael J Thali et al

VIRTOPSY= virtual + Autopsy

Essentials of virtopsyEssentials of virtopsy

Multi-slice Computed Tomography (MSCT)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

3-D/ CAD Photogrammetry

Application of VirtopsyApplication 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 DemeritsMerits and DemeritsMerits

* 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

ConclusionConclusion

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 Thank youyou