Postmortem Imaging and Forensic Radiology: Exploring the Roles of CT and MRI

Jessyca B. Wagner, PhD, R.T.(R)(ARRT)®, CIIP*

^*Consultant & Co-Founder, CW Elite, LLC.

Address correspondence to: Jessyca B. Wagner, PhD, RT(R), CIIP. E-mail: jessyca@cwelite.com.

Disclosure statement: The author reports having no significant financial or advisory relationships with corporate organizations related to this activity.

ABSTRACT

When someone dies, whether from natural causes, a disaster, or as a victim of a crime, an examination of the circumstances of their death can be imperative. Traditionally, an autopsy is performed by a pathologist to determine the cause of death, collect evidence, and identify the victim from dental records or medical devices when necessary. However, there are some limitations to traditional autopsy as well as situations where it's not a viable option. This is where forensic radiology can be very beneficial to pathologists and law enforcement officials. Utilizing postmortem imaging (PMI), especially postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (PMMR) before, during, or after a traditional autopsy, can help identify diseases, injuries, and foreign bodies that may be missed by traditional autopsy alone. PMCT and PMMR can assist with 3-dimensional (3D) injury and incident reconstructions, which can be stored as raw, electronic data, that can be easily accessed for long periods of time, allowing for collaboration with other medical and legal professionals. Postmortem imaging has also become a routine part of forensic anthropology that assists with examining human remains and the creation of 3D models to aid in investigations and teaching. This continuing education (CE) course will discuss the basic concepts of forensic pathology and forensic radiology, identify the roles of PMCT and PMMR in forensic investigations, compare the use of PMCT and PMMR with traditional autopsy, and analyze the usefulness of PMCT and PMMR in forensic investigations. There is also a brief discussion of how imaging can be used in forensic anthropology, including the incorporation of artificial intelligence, safety measures that must be taken, and data considerations for the images obtained with PMI.