Should Pathologists be Reporting Forensic CT Scans?

Abstract

The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Australia annually processes in excess of 4,000 bodies as per the Coroners Act of 2008. Routinely these admissions undergo a full body postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scan with the imaging being primarily analyzed by forensic pathologists rather than radiologists. This is largely due to the lack of appropriately experienced radiologists. In practical terms reporting of images by pathologists is another example of “crossover” between disciplines in medicine. This manuscript proposes a model for how this crossover might be managed, especially in relation to quality control, education, review procedures and the potential for formal credentialing of medical staff.