Kim Yi-Suk, Hong Jong Ha, Oh Chang Seok, Kim Myeung Ju, Cha Soon Chul, Park Jun Bum, Lee In Sun, Yoo Dong Soo, Shin Dong Hoon
Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy Department of Anatomy, Colllege of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seoul 06578, South Korea.
Lab of Bioanthropology, Paleopathology and History of Diseases, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, South Korea.
Anthropol Anz. 2018 Dec 11;75(4):339-350. doi: 10.1127/anthranz/2018/0924.
Accurate interpretation of radiological data is important for reliable paleopathological study of mummies. This is especially true for the mummified heart, an anatomically complicated organ that is distorted and displaced due to long-term dehydration and the action of gravity. In the present study, we compared autopsy results for mummified hearts of differing preservation statuses with corresponding radiological (computed tomography [CT]-image) findings in order to obtain information necessary for accurate radiological diagnosis. We found that the valvular apparatus (especially the aortic valve and ) was easily distinguishable on the CT images of mummies in which more cardiac structures were preserved. We also identified several situations that are known to incur misdiagnosis of cardiac CT images: the presence of pseudo-cavities in the cardiac wall, confusion of the valvular apparatus with cardiac-wall debris, and invisibility of cardiac structures on CT images due to collapse or adhesion. While acknowledging the merits of top-priority CT scanning in non-invasive research, autopsy also has value as a complementary and confirmatory analysis for enhanced accuracy of diagnoses in paleo-radiological studies.
准确解读放射学数据对于木乃伊可靠的古病理学研究至关重要。对于木乃伊化的心脏来说尤其如此，心脏是一个解剖结构复杂的器官，由于长期脱水和重力作用而变形和移位。在本研究中，我们将不同保存状态的木乃伊化心脏的尸检结果与相应的放射学（计算机断层扫描[CT]图像）结果进行比较，以获取准确放射学诊断所需的信息。我们发现，在保存了更多心脏结构的木乃伊的CT图像上，瓣膜装置（尤其是主动脉瓣等）很容易辨别。我们还确定了几种已知会导致心脏CT图像误诊的情况：心脏壁上出现假腔、瓣膜装置与心脏壁碎片混淆，以及由于塌陷或粘连导致心脏结构在CT图像上不可见。在承认非侵入性研究中优先进行CT扫描的优点的同时，尸检作为一种补充性和确认性分析，对于提高古放射学研究诊断的准确性也具有价值。
