Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography
Objectives: As less autopsies are performed, the need for postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) as an alternative is increasing. It is important to know how postmortem changes over time are reflected on CT, in order to improve the diagnostic capability of PMCT and replace forensic pathology evaluati...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Fujita Medical Society
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Fujita Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fmj/9/2/9_2022-002/_pdf/-char/en |
| _version_ | 1797831745501921280 |
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| author | Takahiro Matsuyama Seiichiro Ota Yoshitaka Inui Naoko Fujii Tetsuya Tsukamoto Ichiro Isobe Katsumi Tsujioka Shizuko Nagao Ryosuke Tanabe Hiroshi Toyama |
| author_facet | Takahiro Matsuyama Seiichiro Ota Yoshitaka Inui Naoko Fujii Tetsuya Tsukamoto Ichiro Isobe Katsumi Tsujioka Shizuko Nagao Ryosuke Tanabe Hiroshi Toyama |
| author_sort | Takahiro Matsuyama |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: As less autopsies are performed, the need for postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) as an alternative is increasing. It is important to know how postmortem changes over time are reflected on CT, in order to improve the diagnostic capability of PMCT and replace forensic pathology evaluations such as time of death estimation.
Methods: In this study, we examined temporal changes on postmortem chest CT images of a rat model. After acquiring antemortem images under isoflurane inhalation anesthesia, the rats were euthanized with a rapid intravenous injection of anesthetics. From immediately after death to 48 hours postmortem, chest images were acquired using small-animal CT. The 3D images were then evaluated on a workstation to measure the antemortem and postmortem air content in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi over time.
Results: The air content in the lungs decreased, but the air content of the trachea and bronchi temporarily increased 1–12 hours postmortem, then decreased at 48 hours postmortem. Therefore, the measurement of trachea and bronchi volumes on PMCT could be an objective way to estimate the time of death.
Conclusions: While the air content of the lungs decreased, the volume of the trachea and bronchi temporarily increased after death, indicating the potential to use such measurements to estimate time of death. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:56:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49ecab3c61364df1a49154192991e5c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2189-7247 2189-7255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:56:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Fujita Medical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fujita Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-49ecab3c61364df1a49154192991e5c92023-05-08T03:02:28ZengFujita Medical SocietyFujita Medical Journal2189-72472189-72552023-05-0192101104https://doi.org/10.20407/fmj.2022-002Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomographyTakahiro Matsuyama0Seiichiro Ota1Yoshitaka Inui2Naoko Fujii3Tetsuya Tsukamoto4Ichiro Isobe5Katsumi Tsujioka6Shizuko Nagao7Ryosuke Tanabe8Hiroshi Toyama9Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineDepartment of Radiology, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineDepartment of Radiology, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineDepartment of Radiology, Fujita Health University Okazaki Medical CenterDepartment of Diagnostic Pathology, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineDepartment of Legal Medicine, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineFaculty of Radiological Technology, Fujita Health University, School of Medical ScienceCenter for Clinical Trial and Research Support, Fujita Health UniversityTanabe ClinicDepartment of Radiology, Fujita Health University, School of MedicineObjectives: As less autopsies are performed, the need for postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) as an alternative is increasing. It is important to know how postmortem changes over time are reflected on CT, in order to improve the diagnostic capability of PMCT and replace forensic pathology evaluations such as time of death estimation. Methods: In this study, we examined temporal changes on postmortem chest CT images of a rat model. After acquiring antemortem images under isoflurane inhalation anesthesia, the rats were euthanized with a rapid intravenous injection of anesthetics. From immediately after death to 48 hours postmortem, chest images were acquired using small-animal CT. The 3D images were then evaluated on a workstation to measure the antemortem and postmortem air content in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi over time. Results: The air content in the lungs decreased, but the air content of the trachea and bronchi temporarily increased 1–12 hours postmortem, then decreased at 48 hours postmortem. Therefore, the measurement of trachea and bronchi volumes on PMCT could be an objective way to estimate the time of death. Conclusions: While the air content of the lungs decreased, the volume of the trachea and bronchi temporarily increased after death, indicating the potential to use such measurements to estimate time of death.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fmj/9/2/9_2022-002/_pdf/-char/encomputed tomographytrachea volumepostmortem changeforensic radiology |
| spellingShingle | Takahiro Matsuyama Seiichiro Ota Yoshitaka Inui Naoko Fujii Tetsuya Tsukamoto Ichiro Isobe Katsumi Tsujioka Shizuko Nagao Ryosuke Tanabe Hiroshi Toyama Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography Fujita Medical Journal computed tomography trachea volume postmortem change forensic radiology |
| title | Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography |
| title_full | Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography |
| title_fullStr | Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography |
| title_short | Examination of postmortem changes in the lungs, trachea, and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small-animal computed tomography |
| title_sort | examination of postmortem changes in the lungs trachea and bronchi in a rat model imaged with small animal computed tomography |
| topic | computed tomography trachea volume postmortem change forensic radiology |
| url | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fmj/9/2/9_2022-002/_pdf/-char/en |
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