Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

Sudden death after myocardial infarction (MI) frequently needs medico legal autopsy. Determining exact cause of death has much legal and medical consequence. If MI has occurred within 24 hours prior to death; little gross finding would remain on the heart. So existence of a method for more precise determination of likely infarction site in gross examination of heart can aid pathologist to take more targeted samples for microscopic examination and achieve more exact final diagnosis.

204 cases suspected to develop MI referred to legal medicine center of Isfahan a large city in center of Iran for medico legal autopsy in 2010. Their heart was transferred to a dark room and illuminated with UV-B hand lamp. Areas with white-blue fluorescence were been accounted as positive and samples from them sent for Histophatologic examination.

In 50 cases final diagnosis was MI. amongst them in 39 cases UV-B hand lamp examination assisted pathologist for taking more purposeful samples for Histophatologic examination. New onset (within last ten days) MI with formation of granulation tissue was seen in 15 cases. acute MI was diagnosed in 11 cases.

UV-B hand lamp can be used for locating previous MI and fibrosis on the examined heart; so guide pathologist to take more efficient sampling for histophatologic examination. Its use is recommended in all legal medicine autopsy wards.