The New Era of Forensic Autopsies: A Brief Overview of Virtual Autopsy and its Practice in The Middle East

Abstract

Traditional autopsies have historically been crucial in determining the cause of death and ensuring the quality of care. However, in this modern technological age, many digital advances in forensic medicine were introduced, aided in the practice, and improved outcomes. The utilization of advanced imaging modalities in forensic examination in the form of a virtual autopsy is one of the advances. This article discusses the virtual autopsy's ethical aspects, strengths, limitations, and implementation, particularly focusing on the extent of its utilization in the Middle East. When discussing the ethical aspect, this review found that virtual autopsy outshines traditional methods by preserving the integrity of the deceased bodies and respecting cultural and religious beliefs through noninvasive imaging. It also discusses the strengths of this approach, such as its capability to identify unknown bodies, detect foreign objects, and examine body parts that are not usually examined in traditional autopsy. Moreover, it addresses limitations like difficulty in differentiating between antemortem and postmortem changes and the inability to obtain data gained by analyzing body samples. Additionally, it explores virtual autopsy applications in mass casualties, its role during pandemics like the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and its potential to gradually replace traditional autopsy. Despite its advancements, traditional autopsy remains the gold standard in many cases. Nonetheless, it is a favorable option in the Middle East due to its adherence to the ethical principles in these countries, necessitating further implementation and awareness to maximize its potential and application in forensic medicine