Radiopaque stomach contents in postmortem CT in suicidal oral medication intoxication: Report of three cases

Abstract: In clinical medicine, plane radiography is used for detecting the remains of medications in the stomach in oral medication intoxication cases. Since postmortem computed tomography (CT), performed prior to autopsy, is currently intensively entering the forensic routine, the technique was applied to three fatal cases of oral medication intoxication. Here we report CT and autopsy findings for these cases.In all three cases, hyperdense areas within the stomach content were documented. The measurement of Hounsfield Units (HU) beyond 74HU showed mean values of 338, 88 and 98HU. Postmortem CT also showed brain edema and pulmonary aspiration in one case. At autopsy, tablet remains in the stomach were detected microscopically in all three cases. The ex vivo CT scans of the ingested medica...

This entry was posted on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 7:59 pm and is filed under Forensic news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

• Accumulation of intravenously administered methamphetamine in stomach contents
• Distribution of zolpidem in body fluids and organ tissues in five autopsy cases
• Morphine Concentrations in Stomach Contents of Intravenous Opioid Overdose Deaths.
• Postmortem CT findings of “gastromalacia”: a trap for the radiologist with forensic interest
• The use of rapid diagnostic test of procalcitonin serum levels for the postmortem diagnosis of sepsis.