Macroscopic and histological examination of human bridging veins.

In infantile abusive head injury (AHT), subdural haemorrhage (SDH) is commonly held to result from traumatic damage to bridging veins traversing from the surface of the brain to the dura and dural venous sinuses. However, there are limited published radiological or autopsy demonstrations of ruptured bridging veins and several authors also assert that bridging veins are too large to rupture due to the forces associated with AHT. There have been several studies on the size, locations and numbers of adult bridging veins and there is one small study of infant bridging veins.

Using freely-available 3D software to reconstruct traumatic bone injuries detected with post mortem computed tomography.

Use of post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) scanning to investigate natural and unnatural death has increased dramatically in recent years. Powerful software exists to allow detailed analysis of the scanned anatomy and pathology, and users of PMCT and other medical imaging will already be familiar with both two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) representations of this data. However, standard medical image viewing programs do not allow direct manipulation of the visible anatomy.

Remote post-mortem radiology reporting in disaster victim identification: experience gained in the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster.

On 14 June 2017 at 00:54 h, the worst residential fire since the conclusion of the Second World War broke out in Flat 16, 4th floor of the 24-storey residential Grenfell Tower Block of flats, North Kensington, West London, UK. Seventy-one adults and children died, including one stillbirth. All victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster who died at the scene underwent post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) imaging using a mortuary-sited mobile computed tomography scanner.

Frequency of macroscopic intradural hemorrhage with and without subdural hemorrhage in early childhood autopsies.

Some authors have suggested that in the fetus, neonate and infant, intradural hemorrhage (IDH) is relatively common and often presents alongside subdural hemorrhage (SDH). These authors have theorized that pediatric SDH may result from an IDH due to blood leakage from a dural vascular plexus. In this study, we report the inter-observer variation for detection of IDH from a retrospectively collected series of pediatric autopsy photographs, with and without SDH.

Detection of bacterioplankton using PCR probes as a diagnostic indicator for drowning; the Leicester experience.

Bodies found immersed in water can pose difficulties to the investigating authorities. Pathologists may be assisted with the diagnosis by the use of tests such as the analysis for diatoms or the levels of strontium in the blood, although there is a recognised level of uncertainty associated with these tests. Recent work from Japan has shown that using molecular approaches, most recently real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan probes for bacterioplankton, it is possible to undertake rapid, less laborious, high throughput tests to differentiate freshwater from marine bacterioplankton and in doing so provide a molecular diagnostic test to assist in the diagnosis of drowning.

Ventilated post-mortem computed tomography through the use of a definitive airway.

Ventilated post-mortem computed tomography (VPMCT) has been shown to achieve lung expansion in cadavers and has been proposed to enhance the diagnosis of lung pathology. Two key problems of the method of ventilation have been identified: firstly, the presence of head and neck rigor making airway insertion challenging and, secondly, air leak, if there is not a good seal around the airway, which diminishes lung expansion and causes inflation of the stomach. Simple procedures to insert a 'definitive' cuffed airway, which has a balloon inflated within the trachea, are therefore desirable.