Liver volume of 25 healthy adults was determined diagnostic ultrasound. With multiple images of longitudinalscanning by Picker 80 L grayscale B-mode scanner, volume of the liver was calculated by Carr's method. The averageliver volume was 1499 ml and the result was well corresponding to prior reports on liver volume by autopsy andother imaging methods.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Humans ; Liver ; Methods ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo put some improvements to the traditional transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and discuss its clinical significance.

METHODSCompleted the traditional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and TLIF procedure in 12 fresh cadavers, dissect further to expose the surrounding anatomical structures, and put the modified TLIF surgery according to the anatomical findings. And simulated the operation in 12 fresh cadavers, analyzed its feasibility and potential advantages.

RESULTSThe early anatomical study found that the related nerve root was in a state of high tension and certain risk of injury when completed the traditional PLIF and TLIF surgery, and found certain operational area between the superior articular process and the midline structures of the spinous processes and interspinous ligaments. Put the modified TLIF surgical approach according to the anatomical findings, which the operating area is located in PLIF outside and TLIF inside. As the following words: Take a posterior-middle incision, preserve the supraspinous and interspinous ligaments, and the spinous processes, dissect the bilateral paravertebral muscle, expose lamina and facet joints, not including transverse process, and remove unilateral inferior two third lamina, inferior articular process and expose the articular surface of the superior articular process, then dispose the intervertebral space for interbody fusion obliquely in the unilateral approach. Successfully completed the modified TLIF procedure in 12 fresh cadavers, the results showed that the technique has the following advantages. (1) Only remove unilateral inferior two third lamina and inferior articular process, preserve the supraspinous and interspinous ligaments, and the spinous processes, not expose the transverse process. (2) Both central canal, and lateral recess and nerve root canal of the operative side can be decompressed effectively simultaneously. (3) Avoid excessive traction to the thecal sac and traversing nerve roots and decrease the injury rate due to the reservation of the midline structures and the oblique manipulation, and less injury rate of the exiting nerve root, because of not necessary to expose it routinely.

CONCLUSIONSThe modified TLIF is safe and feasible, could effectively reduce the nerve roots injuries. Maybe it's a better choice for most of the Chinese patients at present.

Autopsy ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

Investigation of the cause of death during diving is one of the contents of forensic pathology. In this article, relevant foreign literature is reviewed to summarize the techniques and methods used in the identification of diving deaths, such as accident reconstruction, diving monitoring data, postmortem CT examination and gas analysis (location and quantity) in the body of the corpse, in order to provide a reference for forensic identification of such cases.
Autopsy/methods* ; Diving ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes

In recent years, postmortem biochemistry analysis has gradually been applied to forensic practice, providing objective evidence for health conditions before death, disease pathophysiological processes and forensic diagnosis of postmortem interval and cause of death. It is of great significance to understand the change patterns of postmortem biochemical indicators and their applications in forensic medicine. This article reviews the research progress of postmortem biochemistry and its application in forensic medicine, it summarizes the existing problems of postmortem biochemistry analysis in forensic medicine of China and discusses the application prospect of postmortem biochemistry analysis in forensic medicine. This review is expected to provide references for forensic practitioners.
Autopsy/methods* ; China ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes

Crime scene investigation is one of the important aspects in a medico-legal proceeding. This article describes the principles of forensic investigation under different circumstances including indoor and outdoor as well as moving objects/environment.
Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Cause of Death ; Crime ; Environment ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: To explore the application value of virtual autopsy to obtain key evidence information on drowned corpses and its application value of virtual autopsy in the diagnosis of drowning. METHODS: In this study, 7 corpses were selected as the research objects. The image data of corpses were collected by computed tomography (CT) before conventional autopsy. The characteristics of corpses were observed through image reading, combined with virtual measurement indexes, and compared with 15 non-drowned corpses. RESULTS: The postmortem CT of drowning showed the more fluid in respiratory tract than the non-drowning, and ground-glass opacities in the lung. The statistical volume of fluid in the sinus (maxillary sinus and sphenoid sinus) was (10.24±4.70) mL in drowning cases and (2.02±2.45) mL in non-drowning cases. The average CT value of fluid in the sinus, left atrial blood and gastric contents in drowning cases were (15.91±17.20), (52.57±9.24) and (10.33±12.81) HU, respectively, which were lower than those in non-drowning cases (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive consideration of multiple characteristic image manifestations and the virtual measurement indexes are helpful to the forensic pathological diagnosis of drowning. Virtual autopsy can be used as an auxiliary method in the forensic diagnosis of drowning.
Autopsy/methods* ; Cadaver ; Drowning/diagnostic imaging* ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*

BACKGROUNDAquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) presents a challenge to medical researchers because of its unique pathological and clinical picture. The clinical data, particularly autopsy evidence, from China have failed to provide enough pathological and etiological evidence for AIDS diagnosis, which impairs the reliability of the diagnosis and our full understanding of the occurrence and development of AIDS complications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the imaging and pathologic characteristics of AIDS.

METHODSAutopsy, imaging and pathological data from 8 cases of AIDS were retrospectively analyzed. Routine CT scanning of different body parts was performed during their periods of hospitalization. Transverse CT scanning was conducted from the skull to the pelvis immediately after the occurrence of death. After routine formalin fixing, 7 cardevers were cross sectioned for autopsy in freezing state and 1 for gross autopsy. Tissues were obtained from each section and organs for pathological examinations.

RESULTSThe autopsy data indicated the presence of parasitic infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections, and virus infections in AIDS patients. Pneumocystis pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, coccobacteria pneumonia, Aspergillus pneumonia, cytomegalovirus pneumonia, toxoplasma encephalitis, lymphoma and cerebrovascular diseases were found in these patients.

CONCLUSIONSDuring the course of AIDS progression, the concurrent multiple infections as well as tumor development may result in multiple organ pathological changes and clinically complex symptoms that further complicate the imaging and pathological manifestations, thus resulting in difficult differential diagnosis. A combination of imaging data and autopsy data can help to clarify the diagnosis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Autopsy ; methods ; Child ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

Autopsy represents traditional and classical examination in forensic medicine. It was suggested that conventional autopsy, nowadays sometimes rejected or not tolerated by people for its damage to corpse. Virtopsy offers a non-invasive investigation approach and can also reflect fracture, soft-tissue injury, wound track, organ trauma objectively and accurately. Thus, virtopsy can provide visual and powerful evidence for forensic pathological practice. This article mainly synthesizes the latest literature at home and abroad and reviews application of virtopsy in forensic trauma identification, mechanical asphyxia, drowning, hypothermia and hyperpothermia, disease diagnosis and research of finite element method applicated in trauma investigation to illustrate this new direction of forensic research.
Autopsy/methods* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/methods*

Virtopsy is a non-invasive technique to reconstruct 3 dimensional (3-D) images of human organs and tissues using digitized radiographic imaging and may provide clues for forensic identification of the cause and manner of death. Because of its nature of minimally invasive, objective, and accurate, virtopsy has recently been a research focus of forensic pathology in developed countries. In this review article, the authors will discuss the principle, advantage, disadvantage, and recent proceeding of virtopsy as well as its potential application in forensic practice in China.
Autopsy ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*

Recreational diving is an exciting and adventurous sport, but is also potentially hazardous. Despite its inherent hazards, an increasing number of people enjoy SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving; the number of diving-related accidents is therefore also likely to increase. Divers might face physical or psychological stresses from the unfamiliar or hostile underwater environment, which can lead to fatal accidents. To investigate deaths related to SCUBA diving, a forensic pathologist should understand the types and mechanisms of injuries and illnesses unique to SCUBA diving. Postmortem examination of diving fatalities is therefore a formidable task for most forensic pathologists because cases are sparse and the process requires an understanding of diving physiology, diving equipment, and the underwater environment. The primary aim of autopsies in SCUBA diving fatalities is to detect evidence of pulmonary barotrauma, intravascular gas, or pre-existing illnesses. Standard autopsy protocol for SCUBA diving-related deaths should include methods to detect intravascular gas and gas accumulation in the tissue or body cavity through plain radiographs or Computerized Tomography (CT) scans. Analysis of the gas components is also helpful for determining the origin of the gas. Here, the author proposes a practical method for performing an autopsy on a person who died while SCUBA diving.
Autopsy* ; Barotrauma ; Diving* ; Humans ; Methods ; Physiology ; Preexisting Condition Coverage ; Respiration ; Sports ; Stress, Psychological