In this Through the Lens case, we revisit the death of a 28-year-old male found beneath a 160-foot drop. Dr. Jamie Elifritz explores how an underlying natural disease process unexpectedly enhances the visualization of hepatic blunt force trauma on postmortem CT.
Case: A 28-year-old male was found below a bridge with a 160-foot vertical drop, with evidence suggesting he jumped.
Question: What natural disease finding enhances visualization of his hepatic blunt force injuries?
An understanding of natural disease processes on PMCT is fundamental to accurate interpretation. In this case, underlying hepatic pathology enhances the conspicuity of blunt force trauma to the liver.
The low attenuation of the liver is consistent with underlying steatosis and/or fibrosis. This reduced density contrasts markedly with the high-attenuation blood products, allowing for clear identification of hepatic lacerations on PMCT.
