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.
目的: 探究尸体CT肺动脉造影中肺动脉血栓和死后凝血块CT值的差异性，提高虚拟解剖技术的应用价值。方法: 收集2016—2019年死因明确的死后CT肺动脉造影数据，分为肺动脉血栓栓塞组（4例）、死后凝血块组（5例）和对照组（5例），对各组肺动脉干及左右肺动脉内容物的CT值进行统计学分析。结果: 肺动脉血栓栓塞组、死后凝血块组的CT均值分别为（168.4±53.8）Hu和（282.7±78.0）Hu，均低于对照组CT均值[（1 193.0±82.9）Hu，P<0.05]。死后凝血块组CT均值高于肺动脉血栓栓塞组（P<0.05）。结论: 在死后CT肺动脉造影检查中，CT值作为区分肺动脉血栓栓塞和死后凝血块相对客观的量化指标具有可行性，在一定程度上可为排除肺动脉血栓栓塞死亡提供科学依据。.
Keywords: CT value; forensic pathology; postmortem CT pulmonary angiography; postmortem clot; pulmonary thromboembolism; virtual autopsy.