Virtual Autopsy

Virtual Autopsy
What is Autopsy?
 Autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy or autopsia

cadaverum)
 A highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a
corpse by dissection to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate
any disease or injury that may be present.
Type of Autopsy
 Medico-Legal Autopsy or Forensic or coroner's autopsies seek to find the cause and
manner of death and to identify the decedent. They are generally performed, as
prescribed by applicable law, in cases of violent, suspicious or sudden deaths,
deaths without medical assistance or during surgical procedures.
 Clinical or Pathological autopsies are performed to diagnose a particular disease or
for research purposes. They aim to determine, clarify, or confirm medical
diagnoses that remained unknown or unclear prior to the patient's death.
 Anatomical or academic autopsies are performed by students of anatomy for study
purpose only.
 Virtual or medical imaging autopsies are performed utilizing imaging technology
only, primarily magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT)
Procedure in Virtual Autopsy
 The forensic pathologist will, in most cases, visit the crime scene and oversee
handling of the human cadaver. The cadaver is placed in a sealed body bag
for transfer to the forensic department and then put in cold storage.
 A full-body MRI or CT scan is performed the next morning. The cadaver will
remain in its body bag throughout the virtual autopsy procedure to ensure
security of technical evidence of forensic value, such as fibers and body
fluids.
 All captured MRI or CT scan data are stored, enabling repeat procedures.
Findings during the physical autopsy often prompt additional questions that
virtual autopsy can answer.
Advantage of Virtual Autopsy
 Virtual Autopsy™ creates digital and permanent records of the body, making it
easier for forensic pathologists and clinicians to communicate with each other.
 Real samples are hard to transport and share, while the digital image of the body
can be shared electronically among medical professionals and experts and can be
stored for future retrieval and re-examination.
 Forensic pathologists can conduct a Virtual Autopsy™ remotely. This means that
hospitals or forensic centres with CT scanners can take advantage of Virtual
Autopsy™ even though they may not have an in-house forensic pathologist.
 The legal system can also benefit from this technology as the 3-dimensional
images can easily be shown in courtrooms and spare people from having to look at
the traditional autopsies’ gruesome pictures of the victim’s body. The images from
a Virtual Autopsy™ can be made interactive, helping the judge and jury
understand some technical facts.
 Virtual Autopsy™ can prove to be cheaper than conventional autopsies in some

cases, with fewer resources needed and simpler to perform.
 A Virtual Autopsy™ leaves the body intact, so it would not add to the grief of
the victim’s family. This also overcomes the obstacles presented by religions
that forbid cutting of the deceased.
 When performed with an MRI scanner, Virtual Autopsy™ can be used to
determine whether a baby has been shaken to death, as it would be easier to
study the blood ruptures behind the eyes.
 In cases of heart attack, the process can detect damage to the heart muscles,
however for greater clarity you may require PM angiography, which is
minimally invasive.
 Virtual Autopsy™ is particularly effective in investigating blunt force and

trauma cases.
 A Virtual Autopsy™ is also a good method to contain/eliminate cross
contamination and infection, as all deceased are scanned in a body bag.
 In biohazard and bioterrorism incidents, Virtual Autopsy™ lowers the risk of
contaminating pathologists and other medical personnel.
Disadvantage of Virtual Autopsy
 Visualizing the circulation and possible bleeding is difficult

 Postmortem imaging provides no information on macromorphology (i.e.,
histology, chemistry)
 Postmortal gas can be difficult to distinguish from bowel gas or gas in wound
channels. It is thus important to perform postmortal imaging as soon as
possible after death.
Virtual Autopsy used in Evidence
 Forensics or Microanalysis: the application of scientific principles to answer

questions of interest in the legal system. Applied most often in the
examination of Trace Evidence to solve crimes based on the Principle of
Contact
a). Trace Evidence- evidence found at a crime scene in small but measurable
amounts such as hairs, fibers, soils, botanical materials, explosive residue
b) Principle of Contact: every person who is physically involved in a crime leaves

some minute trace of his/her presence in the crime scene or in the victim and
often takes something away from the crime scene and/or victim
Maritime Factors Inc. vs Hindang
GR 151993, October 19, 2011
 On June 10, 1994, petitioner Maritime Factors Inc., a domestic manning agency, for and in behalf of its foreign principal Bahrain
Marine Contracting/Panama, engaged the services of Danilo R. Hindang (Danilo) to work as GP/Deckhand on board the M/T "Reya.
 On July 27, 1994, Danilo's body was founf inside the locker (wardrobe) of his cabin.4 Danilo was found hanging by a strap on his neck in
a kneeling position.5 Upon arriving at West Pier, Ras Tanurah, they turned over Danilo's body to the Saudi police authorities, who then
brought the body to Dr. Ossman Abdel Hameed, the Medical Examiner of the Eastern Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was alleged
that Dr. Hameed conducted an autopsy on Danilo's remains and concluded that Danilo committed suicide by hanging himself6
 Danilo's remains were repatriated to the Philippines where an autopsy was requested by Danilo's family. The autopsy was conducted by
Dr. Maximo L. Reyes, a Medico-Legal Officer of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and concluded that the cause of Danilo's
death was Asphyxia by Strangulation, Ligature.Dr. Reyes subsequently issued a Certification dated December 27, 1994 clarifying that
Danilo died of Asphyxia by strangulation which meant that somebody caused his death based on his autopsy findings.
 n August 24, 1994, respondent Bienvenido R. Hindang, brother of the deceased seaman Danilo, filed for death compensation benefits
pursuant to the POEA Standard Employment Contract Governing the Employment of All Filipino Seamen on Board Ocean-Going Vessels
 Petitioner filed its Position Paper claiming that based on Dr. Hameed's medical jurisprudence report, Danilo committed suicide by
hanging himself; thus, his death is not compensable. Petitioner submitted a photocopy of the fax transmission of a purported English
translation of a 4-page medical jurisprudence report of Dr. Hameed where the latter stated that the cause of Danilo's death was
suicide by hanging himself
 In his Position Paper, respondent contended that the NBI autopsy report categorically declared that the cause of Danilo's death was
Asphyxia by strangulation, ligature; that the alleged Dr. Hameed's medical report cannot be given legal effect, since the report was a
mere photocopy of a fax transmission from petitioner's foreign principal, hence, the document was unreliable as to its due execution
and genuineness
Issue:THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS GRIEVOUSLY [ERRED] WHEN IT TOTALLY
DISREGARDED THE MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE REPORT OF THE SAUDI ARABIAN DOCTOR WHO
CONDUCTED AN ACTUAL EXAMINATION OF THE CADAVER AND OCULAR INSPECTION OF THE
PLACE WHERE THE DECEASED WAS FOUND ON THE LAME [EXCUSE] THAT THE SAME WERE MERE
PHOTOCOPIES OF THE FAX TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PETITIONER'S FOREIGN PRINCIPAL
 Ruling:
The alleged translated medical report was not even signed by Dr. Hameed which
creates doubt as to its authenticity. The unsigned translated medical report is
nothing but a self-serving document which ought to be treated as a mere scrap of
paper devoid of any evidentiary value even in administrative proceedings.
Thus, based on the foregoing, the photocopy of the fax transmission of an alleged
translated medical report was correctly denied consideration, since it is required
that there be some proof of authenticity or reliability as condition for the
admission of documents.
Thank you for listening!
Reference:
 https://
www.diagnosticimaging.com/articles/virtual-autopsies-guide-postmortem-inv
estigation
 http://www.virtualautopsy.co.uk/what-is-virtual-autopsy/advantages-of-a-vir
tual-autopsy
/
 https://
batasnatin.com/law-library/remedial-law/evidence/1089-rule-130-rules-of-co
urt-admissibility-of-evidence.html
 Legal Medicine by Atty. Montemayor

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Virtual Autopsy

 Autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy or autopsia

 Virtual Autopsy™ can prove to be cheaper than conventional autopsies in some

 Virtual Autopsy™ is particularly effective in investigating blunt force and

 Visualizing the circulation and possible bleeding is difficult

 Forensics or Microanalysis: the application of scientific principles to answer

b) Principle of Contact: every person who is physically involved in a crime leaves

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