Pulmonary thromboembolism on unenhanced postmortem computed tomography: Feasibility and findings.

Ampanozi, Garyfalia; Held, Ulrike; Ruder, Thomas; Ross, Steffen G; Schweitzer, Wolf; Fornaro, Juergen; Franckenberg, Sabine; Thali, Michael J; Flach, Patricia M (2016). Pulmonary thromboembolism on unenhanced postmortem computed tomography: Feasibility and findings. Legal medicine, 20, pp. 68-74. Elsevier 10.1016/j.legalmed.2016.04.005

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of diagnosing fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) with unenhanced postmortem computed tomography (PMCT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve cases with autopsy confirmed PTE and matched controls (n=19) were retrospectively examined for PTE signs on PMCT. The following variables were evaluated: edema of the lower extremities (areal and Hounsfield Unit measurements) and observer dependent patterns of the morphology of the sedimentation in the pulmonary arteries and trunk.

RESULTS

The median absolute difference between the areal measurements of the right and left lower leg and thigh and the attenuation of the popliteal adipose tissue did not differ significantly between the groups. In contrast, the categorical assessment of soft tissue edema in the lower extremities was significantly different. A statistically significant difference could also be found in the shape of the vascular content within the pulmonary trunk and arteries.

CONCLUSION

PTE may be assessed on unenhanced PMCT using diagnostic clues such as a distinct pattern of the pulmonary artery content and the presence of perivascular edema in the lower extremities.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology

UniBE Contributor:

Ruder, Thomas

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1344-6223

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Nicole Rösch

Date Deposited:

04 Jun 2018 10:38

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:06

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.legalmed.2016.04.005

PubMed ID:

27161927

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Autopsy Deep venous thrombosis Postmortem CT Pulmonary thromboembolism Virtopsy

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.101463

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/101463

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