Overview on Updates on Digital Dental Radiography

Wilhelm Roentgen first discovered X-rays in 1895. Since its introduction in the mid-1980s, digital radiography has surpassed traditional screen-film radiography. Since 2000, more than 75 percent of medical clinics in the United States have migrated to digital radiography (DR). In fact, the US government has ordered that all medical records be converted to digital. Indirect, direct, or semi-direct digital radiography pictures are types of digital radiography currently available. Forensic radiology is a branch of medical imaging technology that helps clinicians. Radiology technology has evolved and grown tremendously in recent years. When comparing aggregated antemortem and postmortem information, radiographs are crucial. Adopting new technologies into a dental business demands a certain amount of bravery. After all, why alter things if your practise is running smoothly? To grasp the new equipment and procedures, the dentist and his or her staff will need further training. It's not always apparent how the new strategy will influence the practice's present logistics. These factors may cause the practitioner to be hesitant to alter present techniques. In this article we’ll reviewing digital dental radiography, and what are the advantages of going digital. And also what are the challenges that face us.

COVID-19 pandemic: a reminder to develop forensic radiology facility

COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a substantial morbidity and mortality, and has put the health system under tremendous stress. A need for devising and adopting newer methods and techniques is being emphasized in the healthcare facilities to combat the effects of the SARS-CoV-2. Besides patient care, focus needs to be laid on the effective and dignified management of the deceased and medico-legal services provided by the hospitals and medical institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the likelihood of forensic experts and autopsy personnel being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 inadvertently during the autopsy, it is recommended to resort to safer and minimally invasive techniques of postmortem examination of the dead. In this regard, employing radiological techniques for postmortem examination appears to be a promising option during the COVID-19 pandemic. An inherent advantage of postmortem radiography over conventional autopsies is the minimization of the risk of transmission of infection to the health care workers. Our correspondence highlights on the possibility of using radiological facilities as an effective replacement of high-risk conventional autopsy procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Imaging protocols for the autopsy service in a time of pandemic emergency minimizing the contagion of SARS-CoV-2 expert government agents

Objective: To contribute to the construction of parameters of biosafety in order to protect government agents in the exercise of their investigative functions in the context of a pandemic, as well as to resolve clinical, pathological and possibly legal issues. Methodology: The development of an exploratory review study with a qualitative approach was defined. The methodological design was carried out on the platforms: PubMed and SciELO through the descriptors: Human identification, Radiology, Virtópsia and Autopsy. The exclusion criteria include articles with duplicate information or that do not have information related to the objectives of the study. For inclusion, materials published in Portuguese, English or Spanish were used and at the end 76 articles were obtained. Results and discussion: Conventional autopsy is the most common method for post-mortem investigation in humans. However, with the evolution of imaging methods and the current pandemic threatening the health of government agents, Virtópsia has shown itself to be the most promising way to remedy the dichotomy of occupational risk and legal benefit. Final considerations: In this article, the main advances in Forensic Radiology in the last 11 years were described, with regard to the use of ante and post mortem radiographs in the identification process. Among the various radiological techniques treated, the following stand out: radiographic techniques produced by radiology professionals with different assessments in the radiological area. The images produced are security methods with invasive manipulation and use of all PPE, suitable for the pandemic moment.

Diagnosing coronary thrombosis using multiphase post-mortem CT angiography (MPMCTA): A case study

While post-mortem angiography (PMA) is gradually establishing its role in Forensic Radiology, the available literature in Italy lacks a solid foundation, particularly regarding its use in criminal court proceedings. An illustrative example of multiphase post-mortem CT angiography (MPMCTA) is presented here to encourage the systematic implementation of PMA methods. To demonstrate concordance between MPMCTA and the reference standard (autopsy and histology) in a case of acute coronary thrombosis, we report a case where MPMCTA, autopsy, histological and toxicological analyses were performed on a previously healthy 51-year-old man. MPMCTA detected a right coronary artery filling defect that could be ascribed to coronary thrombosis, which was later confirmed by autopsy and histological examinations.

Postmortem CT in Trauma: An Overview

As forensic radiology sees an exponential gain in popularity, postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is increasingly being used in the appropriate setting, either as preautopsy guidance or as part of complementary virtual autopsy protocol. Many articles have expounded the value it adds to forensic pathology in the general setting and the appropriate technical parameters to be used for optimum benefit. We aim to put forth a concise review on the role of PMCT specifically in trauma and the pitfalls to be aware of. Reviews have shown that presumed cause of death in trauma have been proven by autopsy to be wrong in about 30% cases. Radiology applied to postmortem investigation in unnatural deaths and more specifically in trauma shares many semiotic features with emergency radiology. Therefore, in the near future, emergency radiologists might be required to integrate this type of imaging in their regular practice. Although the predominant drawbacks are time-dependent, PMCT also has some difficulty in differentiating antemortem and postmortem events. However, in many such scenarios, PMCT and autopsy play a complementary role in arriving at conclusions, and we believe understanding the benefits and role in trauma is imperative considering the expanding usage of PMCT.