The value of succinate dehydrogenase stain in the post-mortem diagnosis of early acute myocardial infarction. A forensic study.

In consecutive medicolegal material comprising 79 persons, the formazan test revealed recent myocardial infarction in 16 cases (20%). Only 4 of these cases (25%) were demonstrated by macroscopic examination. By means of microscopic examination, the 4 infarctions recognized macroscopically and 5 other cases which were demonstrated by the formazan test could be confirmed. If the formazan test is employed as an independent demonstration of myocardial infarction, a total of 16 cases could be demonstrated (as mentioned above), or four times as many as at macroscopic examination at autopsy.