Correlation of macroscopic and histopathologic findings with MRI in forensic examinations

Abstract

The present study investigated the visibility of a strand-shaped fiducial marker in MRI, macroscopic photography and histopathology with the aim of correlating images across these modalities. Eight small samples of porcine tissue were internally marked prior to undergoing MRI. Samples were then sectioned and processed in routine histopathology. Visual comparison of results was followed by measurement of the relative distances between markers. This enabled the correlation of specific MR images with histology slices. This study provides guidance for ongoing research into the forensic applications of the examined fiducial marker, both in post-mortem cases and in living victims. © 2013 by Walter de Gruyter.