Normal postmortem changes in the central nervous system

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Normal central nervous system postmortem changes refers to the expected changes seen in the central nervous system with postmortem imaging.

Radiographic features

CT
  • loss of grey-white matter differentiation
  • intracranial and intravascular gas (due to putrefaction)
  • hyperdensity of the dural venous sinuses in a dependent position
  • loss of definition of sulci  
  • "softening" of brain tissue and settling of the tissue against the dependent part of the skull
  • eventually the brain becomes isodense to water