Postmortem computed tomography findings in suicide victims. 2017

M Garetier, and L Deloire, and F Dédouit, and E Dumousset, and C Saccardy, and D Ben Salem
Department of Radiology, Military Teaching Hospital Clermont-Tonnerre, Brest, France; Department of Radiology, Hôpital Morvan, University Hospital of Brest, Brest, France. Electronic address: marc.garetier@wanadoo.fr.

Suicide is the eighth cause of mortality in France and the leading cause in people aged between 25 and 34 years. The most common methods of suicide are hanging, self-poisoning with medicines and firearms. Postmortem computed tomography (CT) is a useful adjunct to autopsy to confirm suicide and exclude other causes of death. At autopsy, fractures of the hyoid bone or thyroid cartilage, or both, are found in more than 50% of suicidal hangings. Cervical vertebra fractures are rare and only seen in suicide victims jumping from a great height. Three-dimensional reconstructions from CT data are useful to visualize the ligature mark on the neck. In suicides by firearm, postmortem CT shows entry and exit wounds, parenchymal lesions along the bullet path, as well as projectiles in case of penetrating trauma. However, in the chest and abdomen it is more difficult to identify the path of the projectile. Postmortem CT also shows specific features of suicide by drowning or stabbing, but its use is limited in cases of self-poisoning. The use of postmortem CT is also limited by decomposition and change of body position. This article presents the imaging features seen on postmortem CT according to the method of suicide.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008168 Lung Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood. Lungs
D011041 Poisoning A condition or physical state produced by the ingestion, injection, inhalation of or exposure to a deleterious agent. Poisonings
D004332 Drowning Death that occurs as a result of anoxia or heart arrest, associated with immersion in liquid. Drownings
D005766 Gastrointestinal Contents The contents included in all or any segment of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. Digestive Tract Contents,Intestinal Contents,Stomach Contents,GI Contents,Digestive Tract Content,GI Content,Gastrointestinal Content,Intestinal Content,Stomach Content
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001237 Asphyxia A pathological condition caused by lack of oxygen, manifested in impending or actual cessation of life. Suffocation,Asphyxias,Suffocations
D001344 Autopsy Postmortem examination of the body. Autopsies,Post-Mortem Examination,Postmortem Examination,Examination, Post-Mortem,Examination, Postmortem,Examinations, Post-Mortem,Examinations, Postmortem,Post Mortem Examination,Post-Mortem Examinations,Postmortem Examinations
D013405 Suicide The act of killing oneself. Suicides
D014057 Tomography, X-Ray Computed Tomography using x-ray transmission and a computer algorithm to reconstruct the image. CAT Scan, X-Ray,CT Scan, X-Ray,Cine-CT,Computerized Tomography, X-Ray,Electron Beam Computed Tomography,Tomodensitometry,Tomography, Transmission Computed,X-Ray Tomography, Computed,CAT Scan, X Ray,CT X Ray,Computed Tomography, X-Ray,Computed X Ray Tomography,Computerized Tomography, X Ray,Electron Beam Tomography,Tomography, X Ray Computed,Tomography, X-Ray Computer Assisted,Tomography, X-Ray Computerized,Tomography, X-Ray Computerized Axial,Tomography, Xray Computed,X Ray Computerized Tomography,X Ray Tomography, Computed,X-Ray Computer Assisted Tomography,X-Ray Computerized Axial Tomography,Beam Tomography, Electron,CAT Scans, X-Ray,CT Scan, X Ray,CT Scans, X-Ray,CT X Rays,Cine CT,Computed Tomography, Transmission,Computed Tomography, X Ray,Computed Tomography, Xray,Computed X-Ray Tomography,Scan, X-Ray CAT,Scan, X-Ray CT,Scans, X-Ray CAT,Scans, X-Ray CT,Tomographies, Computed X-Ray,Tomography, Computed X-Ray,Tomography, Electron Beam,Tomography, X Ray Computer Assisted,Tomography, X Ray Computerized,Tomography, X Ray Computerized Axial,Transmission Computed Tomography,X Ray Computer Assisted Tomography,X Ray Computerized Axial Tomography,X Ray, CT,X Rays, CT,X-Ray CAT Scan,X-Ray CAT Scans,X-Ray CT Scan,X-Ray CT Scans,X-Ray Computed Tomography,X-Ray Computerized Tomography,Xray Computed Tomography
D014948 Wounds, Gunshot Disruption of structural continuity of the body as a result of the discharge of firearms. Gunshot Wound,Gunshot Wounds,Wound, Gunshot

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