Legal Medicine
Volume 12, Issue 5 , Pages 233-237 , September 2010

Diagnosis of fatal pulmonary fat embolism with minimally invasive virtual autopsy and post-mortem biopsy

Received 14 December 2009 ,Revised 6 March 2010 ,Accepted 15 April 2010.

References 

  1. Thali MJ, Yen K, Schweitzer W, Vock P, Boesch C, Ozdoba C, et al. Virtopsy, a new imaging horizon in forensic pathology: virtual autopsy by postmortem multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – a feasibility study. J Forensic Sci. 2003;48:1–18
  2. Thali MJ, Jackowski C, Oesterhelweg L, Ross SG, Dirnhofer R. VIRTOPSY – the Swiss virtual autopsy approach. Leg Med (Tokyo). 2007;9:100–104
  3. www.virtopsy.com.
  4. Hayakawa M, Yamamoto S, Motani H, Yajima D, Sato Y, Iwase H. Does imaging technology overcome problems of conventional post-mortem examination. Int J Leg Med. 2006;120:24–26
  5. Levy AD, Abbott RM, Mallak CT, Getz JM, Harcke HT, Champion HR, et al. Virtual autopsy: preliminary experience in high-velocity gunshot wound victims. Radiology. 2006;240:522–528
  6. Poulsen K, Simonsen J. Computed tomography in connection with medico-legal autopsies. Forensic Sci Int. 2007;171:190–197
  7. Grabherr S, Djonov V, Yen K, Thali MJ, Dirnhofer R. Postmortem angiography: a review of former and current methods. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007;188:832–838
  8. Ross S, Spendlove D, Bolliger S, Christe A, Oesterhelweg L, Grabherr S, et al. Postmortem whole-body CT angiography: evaluation of two contrast media solutions. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008;190:1380–1389
  9. Aghayev E, Thali MJ, Sonnenschein M, Jackowski C, Dirnhofer R, Vock P. Post-mortem tissue sampling using computed tomography guidance. Forensic Sci Int. 2007;166:199–203
  10. Bisset R. Magnetic resonance imaging may be alternative to necropsy. BMJ. 1998;317:1450
  11. Thali M, Vock P. Role of and techniques in forensic imaging. In:  Payen-James J,  Busuttil A,  Smock W editor. Forensic medicine: clinical and pathological aspects; first publication. London: Greenwich Medical Media; 2003;p. 731–745
  12. Falzi G, Henn R, Spann W. On pulmonary fat embolism after injuries with different periods of survival. Munch Med Wochenschr. 1964;106:978–981
  13. Sevitt S. Fat embolism. London: Butterworths; 1962;
  14. Hiss J, Kahana T, Kugel C. Beaten to death: why do they die?. J Trauma. 1996;40:27–30
  15. Mudd KL, Hunt A, Matherly RC, Goldsmith LJ, Campbell FR, Nichols GR, et al. Analysis of pulmonary fat embolism in blunt force fatalities. J Trauma. 2000;48:711–715
  16. Robb-Smith AHT. Pulmonary fat embolism. Lancet. 1941;11:135–141
  17. Saad RA, Fahmy AA, Ahmed MH. Fatal fat embolism complicating cemented total knee replacement: another manifestation of the metabolic syndrome?. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2007;127:387–389
  18. Kallos T, Enis JE, Gollan F, Davis JH. Intramedullary pressure and pulmonary embolism of femoral medullary contents in dogs during insertion of bone cement and a prosthesis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1974;56:1363–1367
  19. Patterson BM, Healey JH, Cornell CN, Sharrock NE. Cardiac arrest during hip arthroplasty with a cemented long-stem component. A report of seven cases. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1991;73:271–277
  20. King MB, Harmon KR. Unusual forms of pulmonary embolism. Clin Chest Med. 1994;15:561–580
  21. Bulger EM, Smith DG, Maier RV, Jurkovich GJ. Fat embolism syndrome: a 10-year review. Arch Surg. 1997;132:435–439
  22. Mellor A, Soni N. Fat embolism. Anaesthesia. 2001;56:145–154
  23. Husebye EE, Lyberg T, Roise O. Bone marrow fat in the circulation: clinical entities and pathophysiological mechanisms. Injury. 2006;37:S8–18
  24. Georgopoulos D, Bouros D. Fat embolism syndrome: clinical exam is still the preferable diagnostic method. Chest. 2003;123:982–983
  25. Brinkmann B, Borgner M, von Bülow M. Fat embolism of the lungs as the cause of death. Etiology, pathogenesis and reasoning. Z Rechtsmed. 1976;78:255–272
  26. Mason JK. Pulmonary fat and bone marrow embolism as an indication of ante-mortem violence. Med Sci Law. 1968;8:200–206
  27. Busuttil A, Hanley JJ. A semi-automated micro-method for the histological assessment of fat embolism. Int J Leg Med. 1994;107:90–95
  28. Gurd AR, Wilson RI. The fat embolism syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1974;56B:408–416
  29. Winer-Muram HT. Section IV, mediastinum, pulmonary vasculature. In:  Gurney JW,  Stern EJ editor. Diagnostic imaging: chest; first publication. Salt Lake City: Amirsys; 2006;p. 50–53
  30. Holbert JM, Desai SR, Stern EJ. Section I, airspace, vascular. In:  Gurney JW,  Stern EJ editor. Diagnostic imaging: chest; first publication. Salt Lake City: Amirsys; 2006;p. 32–43
  31. Nucifora G, Hysko F, Vit A, Vasciaveo A. Pulmonary fat embolism: common and unusual computed tomography findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2007;31:806–807
  32. Byrick RJ, Bell RS, Kay JC, Waddell JP, Mullen JB. High-volume, high-pressure pulsatile lavage during cemented arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg. 1989;71:1331–1336
  33. White T, Petrisor BA, Bhandari M. Prevention of fat embolism syndrome. Injury. 2006;37:S59–S67
  34. Shaikh N. Emergency management of fat embolism syndrome. J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2009;2:29–33

PII: S1344-6223(10)00063-5

doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2010.04.003

Legal Medicine
Volume 12, Issue 5 , Pages 233-237 , September 2010