Abstract
Over the last few years, advanced diagnostic methods have penetrated in the realm of forensic medicine in addition to standard autopsy techniques supported by traditional X-ray examination and macro-diagnostic laboratory tests. Despite the progress of imaging methods, the conventional autopsy has remained basic and essential diagnostic tool in forensic medicine.
Postmortem computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are far the most progressive modern radio diagnostic methods setting the current trend of virtual autopsies all over the world. Up to now, only two institutes of forensic medicine have available postmortem computed tomography for routine diagnostic purposes in the Czech Republic.
Postmortem magnetic resonance is currently unattainable for routine diagnostic use and was employed only for experimental purposes. Photogrammetry is digital method focused primarily on body surface imaging.
Recently, the most fruitful results have been yielded from the interdisciplinary cooperation between forensic medicine and forensic anthropology with the implementation of body scanning techniques and 3D printing. Non-invasive and miniinvasive investigative methods such as postmortem sonography and postmortem endoscopy was unsystematically tested for diagnostic performance with good outcomes despite of limitations of these methods in postmortem application.
Other futuristic methods, such as the use of a drone to inspect the crime scene are still experimental tools. The authors of the article present a basic overview of the both routinely and experimentally used investigative methods and current macro-diagnostic trends of the forensic medicine in the Czech Republic.