ArticleEuropean radiology2021
Block-like and cast-like hyperdense areas in the right heart cavities on post-mortem CT strongly suggest the presence of intracardiac blood clots at autopsy.
Article in European radiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cadaver clots: a systematic review of the literature.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2025Pooled it
- Postmortem computed tomography assessment of intracardiac and intravascular blood clots and gravitational sedimentation: clinical and laboratory associations in 114 in-hospital deaths.Japanese journal of radiology · 2025Article
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5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo classify the types of hyperdense areas in the heart cavities on post-mortem CT (PMCT) and compare them according to the presence of blood clots in the heart cavities at forensic autopsy.
methodsOne hundred and twelve cases with CT images taken before forensic autopsy were evaluated. The presence and shape of hyperdense areas in the right or left heart cavities were retrospectively evaluated on PMCT images and were classified into four types (block-like, cast-like, fluid level-like, and unclear). The presence of blood clots was confirmed when there were clots in the heart cavities at forensic autopsy.
resultsOf the 112 cases, 57 exhibited blood clots in the heart cavities at forensic autopsy. The hyperdense areas in the right heart cavities on PMCT in 57 cases exhibiting blood clots at forensic autopsy were classified as follows: block-like, 32; fluid level-like, 4; cast-like, 17; and unclear, 4. The sensitivity of block-like and cast-like hyperdense areas in the right heart cavities on PMCT for the presence of clots in the heart cavities at forensic autopsy was 86% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 74-94%); the corresponding specificity, PPV, and NPV were 95% (95% CI: 85-99%), 94% (95% CI: 84-99%), and 87% (95% CI: 75-94%), respectively.
conclusionBlock-like and cast-like hyperdense areas in the right heart cavities on PMCT predicted the presence of intracardiac blood clots at forensic autopsy. KEY POINTS: • Clinical radiologists likely have no experience of interpreting findings of blood clots on post-mortem CT (PMCT). • The appearance of blood clots on PMCT provides important clues for diagnosing the cause and process of death. • The shapes of the hyperdense areas in the heart cavities were classified into four types, and two of these types could be used to predict the presence of blood clots in the heart cavities at forensic autopsy.
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