Citation

Berger F, Steuer AE, Rentsch K, Gascho D, Stamou S, Schärli S, Thali MJ, Krämer T, Flach PM. Forensic Sci. Med. Pathol. 2016; 12(3): 304-311.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Virtopsy, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12024-016-9797-6

PMID

27427196

Abstract

A case of fatal poisoning by ingesting formic acid, diphenhydramine, and ethanol by a 25-year-old woman who committed suicide is presented. Prior to autopsy, postmortem computed tomography and postmortem magnetic resonance tomography were performed and revealed severe damage to the stomach, the left thoracic wall, and parts of the liver. Imaging detected acid-induced fluid-fluid level within the thoracic cavity (fat-equivalent fluid and necrotic pleural effusion). This case report illustrates that postmortem cross-sectional imaging may facilitate dissection of severely damaged or complex regions, and may provide additional information compared to autopsy and toxicological examinations alone.

Language: en