Sudden death in a case of sickle cell anemia: post-mortem computed tomography and autopsy correlation from a radiologist's perspective

• Main Authors: Abdul Rashid, Saiful Nizam, Krauskopf, Astrid, Vonlanthen, Bruno, Thali, Michael J., Ruder, Thomas D.
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2013
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/29536/; http://www.legalmedicinejournal.com/article/S1344-6223(13)00006-0/abstract

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a hemolytic disease characterized by the production of abnormal hemoglobin chains and distorted red blood cell morphology or sickling. "Sickle cell crisis" includes vaso-occlusive crisis, a plastic crisis, sequestration crisis, haemolytic crisis and often culminating in serious complications, organ damage and even sudden death. Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings of sickle cell disease have never been reported in literature. This case of sudden death from acute hemolytic crisis in SCA where post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy findings complemented each other, both revealing findings invisible to the other and both crucial to the case.