Postmortem computed tomography findings in ruptured splenic artery aneurysm: value of the clinical "Sentinel Clot" sign in identification of bleeding location

Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scanning is a routine examination in the medicolegal death investigation of all deceased persons admitted to our institution. Postmortem computed tomography images deliver important information to the medicolegal death investigation process, may alleviate the need for conventional autopsy examination, or provide findings that can guide the performance of a subsequent postmortem examination. We present a case of hemoperitoneum arising from a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm. The case demonstrates how PMCT can strongly suggest the region of bleeding in the abdomen, may provide a provisional diagnosis, and guide the forensic pathologist before the formal autopsy examination, given the particular circumstances of a case, indicates a reasonable cause of death.