Virtopsy: Role of Radiology in Forensic Pathology in Unusual Cases

Abstract

Background: An autopsy is the examination of the body of a dead person. The two types of autopsies that we studied are the conventional autopsy and virtual autopsy. Both play important roles in forensic and clinical autopsies. Therefore, in our study, the effectiveness of both autopsies is being compared as to which contributes more in determining the cause of death.

Methodology: The study was conducted over one month period. During this period, we observed the procedures of both conventional and virtual autopsies that were carried out by medical professionals in determining the cause of death for 4 different cases. The data for the conventional autopsy were collected by interviewing the medical doctors and data for the virtual autopsy were obtained by Post-mortem Computed Tomography (PMCT) database. From these data, the effectiveness of both autopsies in determining the cause of death were compared.

Results: For case 1, conventional autopsy was a better mean to identify the cause of death as the doctor could easily find the ruptured liver and multi-fractured ribs. For case 2, virtual autopsy was not helpful at all to come out with the cause of death because the findings can be easily misdiagnosed. Thus, conventional autopsy helped in knowing the cause of death by finding the multiple nodules and extensive pus. For case 3, conventional autopsy was very helpful because it could help in identifying the types of weapons used and the layers of the body involved.

Conclusions: It is proven that conventional autopsy is more effective in determining the cause of death and is the primary method used for post mortem purposes. Meanwhile, virtual autopsy is only useful for assisting the post mortem and could not replace the conventional autopsy.