Imaging techniques as a method of sectional examination in forensic veterinary medicine

Abstract

An autopsy or necropsy can be performed only once; therefore, its proper execution is of fundamental importance in explaining the cause of death. The protocol with photographic documentation is an integral part of the autopsy, but sometimes it does not fully reflect the state of the body and the pathological changes observed at each stage of the procedure. These shortcomings are addressed by modern imaging techniques, which are increasingly used during the autopsy of human bodies, but quite rarely during necropsy of animals. Non-invasive techniques (CT, MRI, or photogrammetry with laser body scanning), or in some cases also minimally invasive techniques (biopsy), enable comprehensive analysis of the carcass, but Virtopsy is only a supplement to the classical autopsy, especially in veterinary forensic medicine..