Usefulness of 2D fusion of postmortem CT and antemortem chest radiography studies for human identification.

To determine the feasibility of human identification through the two-dimensional (2D) fusion of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and antemortem chest radiography

A case of fatal tracheal compression in a patient with Hashimoto's disease under the setting of previous tracheostomy

This autopsy case involved a woman in her 60 s with a history of temporal tracheostomy. During an event in which her son allegedly experienced an epileptic seizure, he grasped the woman around the upper chest for several moments. The woman then experienced breathing difficulties, lost consciousness and died. Postmortem computed tomography revealed a pinhole-like tracheal narrowing at the level of the tracheostomy encircled by the thyroid. Autopsy revealed a modestly enlarged thyroid gland due to previously undiagnosed Hashimoto's disease and an old fracture in a tracheal ring indicating that the trachea had been compressed by the thyroid. Hashimoto's disease rarely causes sudden death through systemic endocrine disturbance, but this case may illustrate that against a background of previous tracheostomy that mechanically weakens the trachea, enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) as a local effect of the disease can also cause sudden death

Postmortem computed tomography of barium peritonitis due to descending colon perforation

We describe herein the findings from postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) of barium peritonitis due to descending colon perforation. The patient was a woman in her 60s who underwent upper gastrointestinal series with barium swallow for the purpose of physical examination. The patient developed abdominal pain the next day and visited a clinic, but was sent home for later follow-up. She was found dead at home 8 days after upper gastrointestinal series. Based on the corpse phenomena and police investigations of the scene of death, the patient was estimated to have died 6 days after the upper gastrointestinal series. PMCT revealed free gas within the peritoneal cavity. Barium and fat stranding were also observed around a diverticulum in the descending colon. A large amount of residual barium was seen in the ascending colon and was considered to represent antemortem constipation and delayed barium excretion. No gas was detected in the abdominal wall, cardiac chambers or hepatic vasculature. The pancreas and adrenal glands had a normal appearance. We diagnosed barium peritonitis due to descending colon perforation as the cause of death. Diverticular perforation was suspected because barium retention and fat stranding were particularly noticeable around the descending colon diverticulum. In conclusion, we have presented a rare case of postmortem diagnosis of barium peritonitis. In PMCT interpretation, distinguishing between ante- and postmortem intestinal perforations is important

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Bartonella Species Isolated from Wild Rodents in Japan▿

Here, we describe for the first time the prevalence and genetic properties of Bartonella organisms in wild rodents in Japan. We captured 685 wild rodents throughout Japan (in 12 prefectures) and successfully isolated Bartonella organisms from 176 of the 685 rodents (isolation rate, 25.7%). Those Bartonella isolates were all obtained from the rodents captured in suburban areas (rate, 51.8%), but no organism was isolated from the animals captured in city areas. Sequence analysis of rpoB and gltA revealed that the Bartonella isolates obtained were classified into eight genetic groups, comprising isolates closely related to B. grahamii (A-I group), B. tribocorum and B. elizabethae (B-J group), B. tribocorum and B. rattimassiliensis (C-K group), B. rattimassiliensis (D-L group), B. phoceensis (F-N group), B. taylorii (G-O group), and probably two additional novel Bartonella species groups (E-M and H-P). B. grahamii, which is one of the potential causative agents of human neuroretinitis, was found to be predominant in Japanese rodents. In terms of the relationships between these Bartonella genetic groups and their rodent species, (i) the A-I, E-M, and H-P groups appear to be associated with Apodemus speciosus and Apodemus argenteus; (ii) the C-K, D-L, and F-N groups are likely implicated in Rattus rattus; (iii) the B-J group seems to be involved in Apodemus mice and R. rattus; and (iv) the G-O group is probably associated with A. speciosus and Clethrionomys voles. Furthermore, dual infections with two different genetic groups of bartonellae were found in A. speciosus and R. rattus. These findings suggest that the rodent in Japan might serve as a reservoir of zoonotic Bartonella infection