Post mortem contrast-enhanced computed tomography in a case of sudden death from acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Abstract

A 77-year-old woman suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest the day after transvenous embolization of dural ateriovenous fistulae. The patient died despite receiving prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Post mortem computed tomography (CT) was performed to determine the cause of death. No lesion was detected on a whole-body plain CT. However, a post mortem contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) performed after the administration of intravenous contrast and cardiac compressions detected pulmonary thromboembolism. Thus, post mortem CECT was useful in determining the cause of sudden death in this case.