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.