Postmortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging Dealing with Low Temperature Objects

In Japan, the medical examiner system is not widespread, the rate of autopsy is low, and many medical institutions therefore perform postmortem imaging using clinical equipment. Postmortem imaging is performed to clarify cause of death, select candidates for autopsy, make a guide map for autopsy, or provide additional information for autopsy. Findings are classified into 3 categories: cause of death and associated changes, changes induced by cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and postmortem changes. Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging shows characteristic changes in signal intensity related to low body temperature after death; they are low temperature images.