Jessica Vanhaebost1, Kewin Ducrot2, Sébastien de Froidmont2, Maria Pia Scarpelli3, Coraline Egger2, Pia Baumann2, Gregory Schmit1, Silke Grabherr2, Cristian Palmiere4. 1. Service d'Anatomie Pathologique et Médecine Légale, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. 2. CURML, University Center of Legal Medicine, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, 1000, Lausanne 25, Switzerland. 3. Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Medicina di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy. 4. CURML, University Center of Legal Medicine, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, 1000, Lausanne 25, Switzerland. cristian.palmiere@chuv.ch.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the identification of pathological myocardial enhancement at multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography was correlated with increased levels of troponin T and I in postmortem serum from femoral blood as well as morphological findings of myocardial ischemia. We further aimed to investigate whether autopsy cases characterized by increased troponin T and I concentrations as well as morphological findings of myocardial ischemia were also characterized by pathological myocardial enhancement at multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different approaches were used. In one, 40 forensic autopsy cases that had pathological enhancement of the myocardium (mean Hounsfield units ≥95) observed at postmortem angiography were retrospectively selected. In the second approach, 40 forensic autopsy cases that had a cause of death attributed to acute myocardial ischemia were retrospectively selected. RESULTS: The preliminary results seem to indicate that the identification of a pathological enhancement of the myocardium at postmortem angiography is associated with the presence of increased levels of cardiac troponins in postmortem serum and morphological findings of ischemia. Analogously, a pathological enhancement of the myocardium at postmortem angiography can be retrospectively found in the great majority of autopsy cases characterized by increased cardiac troponin levels in postmortem serum and morphological findings of myocardial ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography is a useful tool in the postmortem setting for investigating ischemically damaged myocardium.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the identification of pathological myocardial enhancement at multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography was correlated with increased levels of troponin T and I in postmortem serum from femoral blood as well as morphological findings of myocardial ischemia. We further aimed to investigate whether autopsy cases characterized by increased troponin T and I concentrations as well as morphological findings of myocardial ischemia were also characterized by pathological myocardial enhancement at multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different approaches were used. In one, 40 forensic autopsy cases that had pathological enhancement of the myocardium (mean Hounsfield units ≥95) observed at postmortem angiography were retrospectively selected. In the second approach, 40 forensic autopsy cases that had a cause of death attributed to acute myocardial ischemia were retrospectively selected. RESULTS: The preliminary results seem to indicate that the identification of a pathological enhancement of the myocardium at postmortem angiography is associated with the presence of increased levels of cardiac troponins in postmortem serum and morphological findings of ischemia. Analogously, a pathological enhancement of the myocardium at postmortem angiography can be retrospectively found in the great majority of autopsy cases characterized by increased cardiac troponin levels in postmortem serum and morphological findings of myocardial ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography is a useful tool in the postmortem setting for investigating ischemically damaged myocardium.