Características sociodemográficas y personales de la víctima - feminicida en Lima Metropolitana

Introducción. El feminicidio es un problema de salud mundial. América Latina presenta altas tasas, el Perú implementó su legislación, normativas, sanciones penales y programas preventivos; pero las estadísticas y desaparición de las mujeres siguen en aumento. Objetivo. Determinar las características sociodemográficas y personales en los protagonistas del feminicidio. Métodos. Se realizó un diseño descriptivo, de recolección de datos secundarios. Se analizó documentación forense del Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses del Perú constituido por 46 protocolos de necropsia médico legal de víctimas de feminicidio en Lima Metropolitana durante los años 2019 al 2020 e informes periciales físicos y psiquiátricos de los feminicidas. Resultados. El perfil común de las víctimas fue tener 18 a 29 años, soltera, secundaria con un trabajo formal, la causa muerte fue por proyectil de arma de fuego y el lugar de muerte fue en su domicilio. El perfil de los feminicidas incluyó ser esposo/conviviente, con antecedentes policiales, familia disfuncional y tener hijos con la víctima. Conclusión. Se encontraron principales características de víctimas y sus homicidas como la edad, grado de instrucción, el domicilio de la víctima, antecedentes policiales, familias disfuncionales. En caso de los homicidas eran disociales y el argumento del homicidio fueron los celos.

Introduction. Femicide is a global health problem, Latin America presents high rates, Peru has implemented its legislation, regulations, criminal sanctions and preventive programs; but the statistics and disappearance of women continue to rise. Objectives. Determine the sociodemographic and personal characteristics of the protagonists of Femicide. Methods. Forensic documentation from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Peru was analyzed, consisting of 46 medical legal autopsy protocols for victims of intimate femicide in Metropolitan Lima during the years 2019 to 2020, physical and psychiatric expert reports from the murderers. Descriptive design, census sampling of secondary data collection. Results. The common profile of the victims was to be 18 to 29 years old, single, high school with a formal job and the cause of death was by firearm projectile and the place of death was at his home. The profile of the murderers included being a husband/partner with a police record and a dysfunctional family and have children with the victim. Conclusion. The main characteristics of the victims and their homicides were found, such as age, level of education, the victim's address, police records, dysfunctional families. In the case of the homicides, they were dissocial and the argument for the homicide was jealousy.

La autopsia psicológica en Colombia: ¿Concepto o procedimiento para la investigación científica? Una revisión sistemática

Introducción: La literatura científica reporta que la autopsia psicológica desde sus inicios fue utilizada con la finalidad de ayudar a determinar las circunstancias de muerte de una persona, no obstante, en la actualidad se acoge más como concepto que como una herramienta procedimental. Objetivo: Establecer si en Colombia se ha utilizado para reconstruir los aspectos pre mortem de quienes han fallecido en extrañas circunstancias, de acuerdo con la finalidad de esta. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura científica en 10 bases de datos; se emplearon como palabras clave "autopsia psicológica" y "Colombia", bajo una ventana de observación entre 2010 al 2021; por medio del método PRISMA. Resultados: Se evidencia que en Colombia durante los últimos 10 años el número de estudios asciende a 19, publicados en bases de datos, de los cuales 16 no emplearon el procedimiento de autopsia psicológica y solo tres de ellos sí lo hicieron. Discusión: Existe una tendencia a emplear la autopsia psicológica como concepto desde un enfoque clínico para respaldar los análisis retrospectivos, que, como técnica o procedimiento, se distancia de la posibilidad de reconstruir la criminodinámica del delito, así como la reconstrucción de aspectos de la personalidad, el estado mental y el estilo de vida de quién ha fallecido. Conclusiones: Se resalta que en Colombia la autopsia psicológica se ha utilizado exclusivamente en el campo clínico, sin el rigor científico, metodológico y sin la validez del protocolo empleado.

Introduction: The scientific literature reports that psychological autopsy from its beginnings was used with the purpose of helping to determine the circumstances of death of a person, however, it is currently embraced more as a concept than as a procedural tool. Objective: to establish if in Colombia it has been used to reconstruct the pre-mortem aspects of those who have died under strange circumstances, according to its purpose. Methodology: a systematic review of the scientific literature was carried out in 10 databases, using as keywords psychological autopsy and Colombia, under a window of observation between 2010 and 2021; using the PRISMA method. Results: they show that in Colombia during the last 10 years the number of studies published in databases amounts to 19, of which 16 did not use the psychological autopsy procedure and only three of them did. Discussion: There is a tendency to use psychological autopsy as a concept from a clinical approach to support retrospective analyses rather than as a technique or procedure, distancing us from the possibility of reconstructing the criminodynamics of the crime, as well as reconstructing aspects of the personality, mental state and lifestyle of the deceased. Conclusions: it is highlighted that in Colombia the psychological autopsy has been used exclusively in the clinical field, without the scientific and methodological rigor and without the validity of the protocol used.

Hemorragia Intracerebral Imprevisible en un Hombre Joven: La Importancia de la Tomografía computarizada craneal post-mortem / Unpredictable Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Young Male: The Importance of Post-Mortem Cranial Computed Tomography

La muerte súbita es aquella que ocurre dentro de las 24 horas posteriores al inicio de los síntomas y se caracteriza por ser clínicamente inexplicable, inesperada y repentina. Debido a la naturaleza de la muerte súbita, no es posible llegar a un diagnóstico preciso sin una autopsia. En esta comunicación breve, evaluaremos el caso de un empleado de crucero de 33 años, sin historial médico/farmacológico previo, el cual falleció súbitamente mientras reposaba en su camarote. Debido a las sospechas iniciales de una posible muerte causada por una sobredosis de cocaína, se le realizó un panel toxicológico abarcador el cual resultó negativo. Empero, una tomografía computarizada (TC) craneal sin contraste revirtió la hipótesis inicial y la autopsia neuropatológica -sorpresivamente- confirmó que la verdadera causa de muerte fue la ruptura de un aneurisma sacular desconocido en el polígono de Willis.

Sudden death occurs within 24 hours after the onset of symptoms and is characterized by being clinically inexplicable, sudden, and unexpected. Due to the nature of sudden death, it is not possible an accurate diagnosis without performing an autopsy. In this brief communication, we will evaluate the case of a 33-year-old cruise employee, with no prior medical/pharmacological history, who suddenly died while resting in his cabin. Due to initial suspicions of a possible cocaine overdose death, a comprehensive toxicology panel was performed, although yielding a negative result. A cranial computed tomography without contrast reversed the initial hypothesis and the neuropathological autopsy -surprisingly- confirmed that the true cause of death was the rupture of an unknown saccular aneurysm in the Circle of Willis.

Aspectos por considerar en autopsias por intoxicación aguda con monóxido de carbono, el asesino silente. A propósito de dos casos / Aspects to consider in autopsies for acute carbon monoxide poisoning, the silent killer. About two cases

El monóxido de carbono (CO) es un gas que se produce durante la combustión incompleta de diferentes materiales orgánicos. Una vez que se inhala, se absorbe hacia la sangre, ejerciendo su efecto a nivel sistémico. Se une fuertemente a la hemoglobina, y forma la carboxihemoglobina lo que provoca una disminución del transporte de oxígeno a los tejidos y dependiendo de su concentración puede ser mortal. Los hallazgos comúnmente encontrados en la autopsia son color rojo cereza en la piel y órganos, así como edema pulmonar, entre otros. El diagnóstico de intoxicación por CO se basa en la medición post mortem de carboxihemoglobina en sangre, por lo que se deben tomar muestras para cuantificar estos niveles. Con respecto al manejo en estos casos, se presenta dos casos correspondientes a la autopsia médica legal en las que se estableció como causa de muerte la intoxicación por monóxido de carbono.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas that is produced during the incomplete combustion of different organic materials. Once inhaled, it is absorbed into the blood, exerting its effect at the systemic level. It strongly binds to hemoglobin, and forms carboxyhemoglobin, which causes a decrease in oxygen transport to the tissues and, depending on its concentration, can be fatal. The findings commonly found in the autopsy are cherry red color in the skin and organs, as well as pulmonary edema, among others. The diagnosis of CO poisoning is based on the postmortem measurement of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, so samples must be taken to quantify these levels. Regarding the handling of these cases, two cases corresponding to the legal medical autopsy are presented in which carbon monoxide poisoning was established as the cause of death.

Medico-legal autopsies after sunset: Ethical issues

From the British era, regular medico-legal autopsies have never been done in India after sunset, except for those specially permitted by the law enforcement agencies. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, issued a notification on November 15, 2021, regarding the “Conduct of post-mortem in hospitals after sunset”. This has given rise to much debate on whether post-mortems can be conducted after sunset in an ethical manner. Here, we briefly discuss the various issues related to the carrying out of post-mortems after sunset in India.

Incidental Histopathological Findings Of Liver - A Study Of 100 Autopsy Cases

Introduction: The silent liver diseases are found accidentally during regular health check-ups, examination of other diseases or autopsy examinations. To study the spectrum of histopathological findings of liver and toObjectives: determine the prevalence of silent liver diseases in autopsy cases. A retrospective study wasMaterial And Methods: done in the Department of Pathology, Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru from January 2019 to June 2020 on 100 liver autopsy specimens. The majority of the cases with pathological lesions were in the age group of 31-60 yearsResults: with Male: Female ratio of 2.8:1. The most common finding in this study was steatosis (31%), followed by chronic venous congestion (26%), cirrhosis (6%), portal triaditis (6%), steatohepatitis (5%), abscess and cholestasis (1%), tuberculosis (1%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (1%). The autopsy examination of liver by determining the prevalenceConclusion: of silent liver diseases in particular regional population creates public awareness and brings required life style changes.

Common Causes of Neonatal Death in Calabar, South-South Nigeria: An Autopsy Study

Background: Neonatal deaths are deaths of live born babies occurring before 28 completed days. The vast majority occur in low-income countries like Nigeria with a high neonatal mortality rate. There is paucity of autopsy studies due to refusal of family to give consent for such procedures. Aim: To identify the commonest causes of neonatal death in 53 neonatal autopsies in Calabar, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Detailed postmortem was carried out using lettules techniques and bits taken for histological analysis to ascertain the cause of death. Other relevant contributory factors such as the gestational age, mode of delivery, place of birth, antemortem cause of deaths and maternal obstetric history were obtained from the medical records and autopsy request forms. Results: In the one-year retrospective study of 53 neonatal autopsies, male: female ratio was 1: 0.83 and mean age at death was 6.5 + 7.3 days, ranging from 1 to 28 days. The commonest cause of neonatal death was severe birth asphyxia seen in 10 cases (18.9%), followed by kernicterus in 6 cases (11.3%), birth trauma seen in 6 cases (11.3%), congenital heart disease seen in 5 cases (9.4%), and prematurity seen in 5 cases (9.4%). Conclusion: The study confirms the usefulness of neonatal autopsy in ascertaining the definitive cause of death. Severe birth Asphyxia was identified as the commonest cause of death in the neonatal period followed by birth trauma, kernicterus and congenital heart diseases.

Study of Central Nervous System Malformations of Perinatal Autopsies

Background: Congenital malformations remain a common cause of perinatal deaths accounting for 10-15% in developing countries like India. They are the most severe disorders of the central nervous system. Although antenatal screening for congenital anomalies has been improved over the years, fetal autopsy remains the gold standard for the iden?fica?on and confirma?on of congenital malforma?ons. The present study emphasizes the importance of perinatal autopsy for understanding the cause of death and also conforma?on of the antenatal diagnosis of the spectrum of various congenital CNS malforma?ons. Methods: We studied 644 perinatal autopsies conducted in our hospital. The dura?on of the study was 5 years, from 1st August 2015 to 31st July 2020 that included all perinatal autopsies with gesta?onal age of 22 weeks to less than 7 days. Results: Out of 644 perinatal autopsies 125 cases (19.4%) had congenital anomalies, of which 62 cases (9.6%) showed CNS malforma?ons. The most common CNS anomalies encountered were anencephaly 14 cases (22.6%) followed by 10 cases (16.1%) each of spina bifida and meningocele, and 8 cases (12.9%) of meningomyelocele. In the present study, 6 (9.7%) cases of CNS malforma?ons were associated with known syndromes namely Edward syndrome, Potter’s syndrome, and KlippelFeil syndrome. Along with CNS in 21 (33.9%) cases we observed associated malforma?ons of other systems with 7 cases involving the musculoskeletal system, 3 cases involving the genitourinary system, and 5 (8.1%) cases showing mul?system involvement. Conclusion: Antenatal screening for congenital anomalies has been improved over the years. Even then fetal autopsy remains the gold standard for the iden?fica?on and confirma?on of congenital malforma?ons. Understanding this gives valuable informa?on that can be further helpful in the gene?c counseling of the parents.

Pathological changes in Kidney Autopsies from North Maharashtra –A Descriptive Study

Background: Chronic Kidney disease is a major public health concern. In India, the burden of chronic Kidney disease cannot be assessed properly. In such case autopsy study becomes an indispensible part of Medicine. Aim: To explore the spectrum of changes seen in kidneys and correla?ng it with clinical findings. Material & Methods: A descrip?ve study of kidneys of Medico legal autopsies from January 2019 – December 2019 was conducted. A total of 665 Medico legal autopsies were received, in 73 cases kidneys were not received, while 23 kidneys had autoly?c change. A total of 569 Kidneys were included in the study. The Gross and Microscopic features along with special stains were studied and the cause of death was noted. Results: A total of 569 kidney autopsies were assessed. On Gross 26% were congested, 13% had contracted granular kidney. On Histopathological examina?on, Non specific changes were seen in 53.4%, specific nephropathological lesions noted were chronic pyelonephri?s (8.9%), acute tubular necrosis (5.6%), sickle cell nephropathy (4.7%), tubercular nephri?s (1.2%). Conclusion: Infec?ve e?ology was the commonest cause, along with sickle cell nephropathy. It has provided the spectrum of lesions seen in this area along with correla?on of cause of death. Screening for diabetes mellitus and hypertension would lead to early detec?on and ?mely management which would reduce chronic kidney diseases.

Cambios morfométricos en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica fallecidos relacionados con diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial y obesidad

Fundamento: la enfermedad renal crónica ha incrementado su incidencia, no existen estudios en Cuba ni en la provincia sobre morfometría renal en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica a los que se les ha practicado autopsia. Objetivo: determinar variaciones morfométricas renales en pacientes fallecidos a los que se les ha practicado autopsia en el Hospital General Universitario Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima de Cienfuegos. Método se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo. El universo lo conformaron 85 pacientes fallecidos a los que se les practicó autopsia y que tenían diagnóstico clínico de enfermedad renal crónica en cualquier estadio. Se trabajó con el total del universo. Las variables estudiadas fueron: edad, sexo, peso y talla para el cálculo del índice de masa corporal, antecedentes patológicos personales, el estadio clínico de la enfermedad renal crónica y la morfometría renal a cada órgano por separado, las mensuraciones realizadas fueron: peso, diámetro longitudinal, diámetro transversal, espesor o grosor de la corteza renal. Los datos se procesaron en el paquete estadístico de SSPS v. 11.5 presentándose tablas en números absolutos y porcientos. Resultados predominó el sexo femenino, en edades entre 70-79 años, con estadio clínico I y IV de la enfermedad renal crónica, los obesos representaron el 57,6 %, los hipertensos el 67,1 % y los diabéticos el 25,8 %. Hubo disminución de todas las variables morfométricas en ambos riñones, destacándose el espesor de la corteza renal. Conclusiones: existió relación entre la hipertensión, la diabetes mellitus y la obesidad con las variables morfométricas renales.

Background: chronic kidney disease has increased its incidence, there are no studies in Cuba or in the province on renal morphometry in patients with chronic kidney disease who have undergone autopsy. Objective: to determine renal morphometric variations in deceased patients who have undergone autopsy at the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital of Cienfuegos. Method: a descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was carried out. The universe was made up of 85 deceased patients who underwent autopsy with a clinical diagnosis of chronic kidney disease at any stage. We worked with the whole universe. The variables studied were: age, sex, weight and height for the calculation of the body mass index, personal pathological history, the clinical stage of chronic kidney disease and renal morphometry to each organ separately, the measurements made were: weight, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, thickness or thickness of the renal cortex. The data was processed in the statistical package of SSPS v. 11.5 presenting tables in absolute numbers and percentages. Results: the female sex predominated, aged between 70-79 years, with clinical stage I and IV of chronic kidney disease, the obese represented 57.6 %, the hypertensive 67.1 % and the diabetic 25.8 %. There was a decrease in all morphometric variables in both kidneys, highlighting the thickness of the renal cortex. Conclusions: there was a relationship between hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity with renal morphometric variables.

Alcoholic foamy degeneration: an unusual presentation of the alcoholic liver disease diagnosed on autopsy

ABSTRACT Alcoholic foamy degeneration (AFD) is an uncommon presentation of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) with characteristic histologic findings of foamy-looking hepatocytes due to the presence of abundant microvesicles of fat within the cytoplasm predominantly in perivenular and midzonal regions without inflammation and fibrosis. It is underdiagnosed as the patients quickly recover after alcoholic abstinence and are rarely caught on biopsies. AFD has better prognosis than alcoholic hepatitis, and the injury mechanism is different, warranting a different diagnosis. We present an uncommon case of AFD incidentally diagnosed during autopsy in a chronic alcoholic and diabetic man.

Disseminated Nasal subtype Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and its diagnostic difficulties in antemortem biopsies

ABSTRACT Extranodal NK/T- cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) is an aggressive lymphoma driven by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in genetically susceptible individuals. It was historically called a lethal midline granuloma. Due to the angio-destructive nature of ENKTCL, lymphoma cells are often accompanied and masked by necrosis and dense inflammation in the biopsy. Further, the biopsy may show vasculitis, which can mimic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Due to these masquerades, ENKTCL is often misdiagnosed in the biopsy. Several biopsies may be required to establish the diagnosis. We describe the clinical course and autopsy findings of a young female who presented with a hard-palate ulcer. Antemortem biopsies failed to establish the diagnosis. The autopsy revealed an advanced nasal subtype of Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma with dissemination to the kidneys, adrenals, liver, spleen, and small intestine.

Disseminated mucormycosis in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: autopsy findings / Mucormicosis diseminada en un paciente pediátrico con leucemia linfoblástica aguda: hallazgos de la autopsia

Abstract Background: Mucormycosis is a rare infection caused by ubiquitous fungi of the Mucorales order that mainly affects immunocompromised patients. These fungi have an important tropism for blood vessels that allows them to spread rapidly and cause thromboembolic events. Case report: We present a case of an 8-year-old male patient diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with chemotherapy. He presented icteric syndrome, hepato-splenomegaly, and data of intestinal obstruction. Although he underwent intestinal resection, he did not improve and died. The autopsy identified disseminated mucormycosis involving the brain, lungs, esophagus, small intestine, colon, and pancreas. Conclusions: Hematological neoplastic diseases and their treatment are important risk factors for developing infections by opportunistic microorganisms such as mucormycosis. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment are essential due to their intrinsic difficulty and the high mortality rate of these cases.

Resumen Introducción: La mucormicosis es una infección poco frecuente causada por hongos ubicuos del orden de los Mucorales que afecta principalmente a pacientes inmunocomprometidos. Estos hongos poseen un importante tropismo por vasos sanguíneos que les permite diseminarse rápidamente y provocar lesiones trombo-embólicas. Caso clínico: Se presenta el caso de un paciente de sexo masculino de 8 años con diagnóstico de leucemia linfoblástica aguda tratada con quimioterapia. Presentó síndrome ictérico, hepato-esplenomegalia y datos de obstrucción intestinal. A pesar de que fue sometido a resección intestinal, no presentó mejoría y falleció. En la autopsia se identificó mucormicosis diseminada con afección de cerebro, pulmones, esófago, intestino delgado, colon y páncreas. Conclusiones: Las enfermedades neoplásicas hematológicas y su tratamiento son importantes factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de infecciones por microorganismos oportunistas como la mucormicosis. El diagnóstico temprano y adecuado tratamiento son importantes debido a la dificultad intrínseca de los mismos y la alta tasa de mortalidad de estos casos.

Radiologic-pathologic autopsy correlation of an internal watershed infarct, a case report

ABSTRACT Internal watershed infarcts (IWIs) occur at the junction of the deep and superficial perforating arterial branches of the cerebrum. Despite documentation in the radiology literature, IWIs are rarely encountered at the time of autopsy. Here, we report the case of a 59-year-old incarcerated male who was brought to the emergency department after being found unresponsive on the floor of his jail cell. Initial examination and imaging demonstrated right-sided hemiplegia, aphasia, right facial droop, and severe stenosis of the left middle cerebral artery, respectively. Repeat imaging 4 days after admission and 26 days before death demonstrated advanced stenosis of the intracranial, communicating segment of the right internal carotid artery, a large acute infarct in the right posterior cerebral artery territory, and bilateral deep white matter ischemic changes with a right-sided "rosary-like" pattern of injury that is typical of IWIs. Postmortem gross examination showed that the right deep white matter lesion had progressed to a confluent, "cigar-shaped" subacute IWI involving the right corona radiata. This is the first well-documented case of an IWI with radiologic imaging and photographic gross pathology correlation. This case uniquely highlights a rarely encountered lesion at the time of autopsy and provides an excellent visual representation of internal watershed neuroanatomy.

What else in times of COVID-19? The role of minimally invasive autopsy for the differential diagnosis of acute respiratory failure in a case of kala-azar

ABSTRACT Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a chronic vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by trypanosomatids, considered endemic in 98 countries, mainly associated with poverty. About 50,000-90,000 cases of VL occur annually worldwide, and Brazil has the second largest number of cases in the world. The clinical picture of VL is fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and pancytopenia, progressing to death in 90% of cases due to secondary infections and multi-organ failure, if left untreated. We describe the case of a 25-year-old female who lived in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, who had recently taken touristic trips to several rural areas in Southeastern Brazil and was diagnosed post-mortem. During the hospitalization in a hospital reference for the treatment of COVID-19, the patient developed acute respiratory failure, with chest radiographic changes, and died due to refractory shock. The ultrasound-guided minimally invasive autopsy diagnosed VL (macrophages containing amastigote forms of Leishmania in the spleen, liver and bone marrow), as well as pneumonia and bloodstream infection by gram-negative bacilli.

Focal Cortical Dysplasia with hippocampal sclerosis

ABSTRACT Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) is a group of focal developmental malformations of the cerebral cortex cytoarchitecture. FCD usually manifests as medically intractable epilepsy, especially in young children. Live patients are diagnosed by radiological examination such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET), magnetoencephalography (MEG), diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), and intracranial electroencephalogram (EEG). While some cases can be missed by radiological examination, they are usually diagnosed on the histopathological examination of the surgically removed specimens of medically intractable epilepsy patients. We report a case of a young girl with cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and seizure disorder who died in her sleep. The deceased was diagnosed with FCD type III with hippocampal sclerosis on histopathological examination at autopsy. H & E stain and NeuN immunohistochemistry neuronal cell marker were used to demonstrate the findings of FCD.

Comparison of CT Values between Thrombus and Postmortem Clot Based on Cadaveric Pulmonary Angiography / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To explore the difference in CT values between pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to further improve the application value of virtual autopsy.@*METHODS@#Postmortem CTPA data with the definite cause of death from 2016 to 2019 were collected and divided into pulmonary thromboembolism group (n=4), postmortem clot group (n=5), and control group (n=5). CT values of pulmonary trunk and left and right pulmonary artery contents in each group were measured and analyzed statistically.@*RESULTS@#The average CT value in the pulmonary thromboembolism group and postmortem clot group were (168.4±53.8) Hu and (282.7±78.0) Hu, respectively, which were lower than those of the control group (1 193.0±82.9) Hu (P<0.05). The average CT value of the postmortem clot group was higher than that of the pulmonary thromboembolism group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CT value is reliable and feasible as a relatively objective quantitative index to distinguish pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CTPA. At the same time, it can provide a scientific basis to a certain extent for ruling out pulmonary thromboembolism deaths.