Part of the Post-mortem Computed Tomography (PMCT) webinar series, this webinar will introduce participants to the use of PMCT in the diagnosis of blunt force trauma. PMCT scan may be used to diagnose fatal trauma in certain situations, allowing an external examination with postmortem CT to supplant an autopsy, which may better honor religious and cultural requests of grieving family members. Non-suspicious, traumatic deaths, such as motor vehicle collisions, are such an example. Additionally, PMCT often provides additional documentation of internal injuries where fatal injuries are obvious on external examination.
Participants will be introduced to the PMCT appearance of skeletal and organ blunt force injury in the medical examiner setting. More specifically, the discussion will include: skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, vertebral fractures, rib fractures, hemothorax versus other pleural fluid collections, and liver injuries. Additionally, the limitations of CT examination will be discussed, including the types of injuries where CT is less sensitive.