23 November 2022 — Postmortem CT scans are performed and reported by forensic radiologists in the following ways. What practical concerns and problems do they encounter when scanning a deceased person? What psychological impact does postmortem reporting have?
Dr. Peter Kralt and Dr. Lenetta Boyce, who report postmortem CT (PMCT) imaging for the U.K.-based digital autopsy company iGene, recently met with the broadcast crew to answer these and other issues. Since its inception in 2011, the company has created its own unique imaging software for use with a CT scanner to aid in the determination of the cause of death and minimize the need for an intrusive postmortem.
Kraut is a forensic radiologist and anthropologist who works as an independent consultant neuroradiologist. He co-wrote "Post Mortem CT for Non-Suspicious Adult Deaths: An Introduction." Boyce is a musculoskeletal radiology and trauma specialist at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The speakers and co-founders of RadCast, radiologists Dr. Uzoma Nnajiuba and Dr. Jamie Howie, conducted this debate.
Q: How did you both become involved in forensic radiology?
Boyce: After learning about radiology's role in the Manchester Arena bombing investigation in 2017, I performed some research and learned that it was still a relatively new area. When I was in training, one of the senior consultants suggested that I have a skill that is a little different, so I thought forensic radiology would be appropriate. It's fascinating; the more you learn about it, the more amazed you become. I completed a postgraduate diploma in it, and my passion grew from there.
Q: What are the PMCT indications?
Kraut: The vast majority of fatalities in the community will be non-suspicious. For example, if an elderly person is discovered dead by a caregiver, or if a patient collapses in the street and dies, it is our responsibility to determine the cause of death. However, you may have a couple of patients whose cases are slightly more suspicious — for example, located at the bottom of the stairs — and you must consider if the patient fell due to a cardiac event or something else. Was the patient
Q: Does reporting PMCTs have an emotional impact on you, particularly in pediatric cases?
Boyce: I believe you come across a lot of sad cases, which is the most difficult part for me. You come upon these folks who have died and have been missing for weeks, and you think to yourself, "Gosh, no one thought, no one noticed or recognized them, no one knocked on their door."
You meet people who haven't been found because they've been widowed. Nobody has bothered to check on them, and then you see individuals commit themselves.
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