Mohsen Mosadegh1, Mehdi Khazaei1, Zohreh D Abdollahpour2, Sam Alahyari3, Yashar Moharamzad1, Mohammadali Emamhadi4, Samira Aram5, Mojtaba Abolbaghaei5, Morteza Sanei Taheri1. 1. Radiology Department, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Clinical Applications Department, TANASA TEB NOVIN Co, Tehran, Iran. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Forensic Medicine Department, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Post-mortem rigidity of the tissues is one of the basic principles in forensic medicine to estimate the time of death. Qualitative methods to determine the stiffness of the corpse may have some limitations. Methods that provide quantitative values may be useful. We intended to evaluate the applicability of ultrasound shear-wave elastography of the tissues to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI). Methods: For 80 corpses, shear-wave elastography of the liver, sartorius muscle, testis, thyroid and parotid was performed before autopsy. Based on the forensic reports as the reference method to define post-mortem interval, the corpses were divided into four groups: group 0 (PMI < 24 hours), group 1 (PMI ≥24 hours and <48 hours), group 2 (PMI ≥ 48 hours and <72 hours), and group 3 (PMI ≥ 72 hours). There were 24, 38, 13, and 5 corpses, respectively, in groups 0, 1, 2, and 3. Results: A significant rise in the elasticity values in comparison to elasticity of normal tissues in live adults was seen very early in the post-mortem period. Between-group comparisons showed that a significant difference in the liver elasticity was present among the groups. The mean (SD) liver elasticity was 10.29 (±0.83) in group 0, 14.98 (±1.56) in group 1, 12.49 (±1.09) in group 2, and 15.64 (±1.68) kilopascals (kPa) in group 3 (P = 0.035). Nevertheless, elasticity measurements in other tissues were not helpful in distinguishing post-mortem interval groups. Conclusion: It is possible to use liver quantitative shear-wave elastography to estimate the time of death.
Introduction: Post-mortem rigidity of the tissues is one of the basic principles in forensic medicine to estimate the time of death. Qualitative methods to determine the stiffness of the corpse may have some limitations. Methods that provide quantitative values may be useful. We intended to evaluate the applicability of ultrasound shear-wave elastography of the tissues to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI). Methods: For 80 corpses, shear-wave elastography of the liver, sartorius muscle, testis, thyroid and parotid was performed before autopsy. Based on the forensic reports as the reference method to define post-mortem interval, the corpses were divided into four groups: group 0 (PMI < 24 hours), group 1 (PMI ≥24 hours and <48 hours), group 2 (PMI ≥ 48 hours and <72 hours), and group 3 (PMI ≥ 72 hours). There were 24, 38, 13, and 5 corpses, respectively, in groups 0, 1, 2, and 3. Results: A significant rise in the elasticity values in comparison to elasticity of normal tissues in live adults was seen very early in the post-mortem period. Between-group comparisons showed that a significant difference in the liver elasticity was present among the groups. The mean (SD) liver elasticity was 10.29 (±0.83) in group 0, 14.98 (±1.56) in group 1, 12.49 (±1.09) in group 2, and 15.64 (±1.68) kilopascals (kPa) in group 3 (P = 0.035). Nevertheless, elasticity measurements in other tissues were not helpful in distinguishing post-mortem interval groups. Conclusion: It is possible to use liver quantitative shear-wave elastography to estimate the time of death.
Authors: F Sebag; J Vaillant-Lombard; J Berbis; V Griset; J F Henry; P Petit; C Oliver Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2010-09-29 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Rosa M S Sigrist; Joy Liau; Ahmed El Kaffas; Maria Cristina Chammas; Juergen K Willmann Journal: Theranostics Date: 2017-03-07 Impact factor: 11.556