PMC6197113_01
Images obtained by native post-mortem CT showing massive accumulation of gas in all anatomical compartments. (a) Presence of gas in the thorax, including gas in the cardiac cavities (CC), the pleural cavities (PC), the abdominal cavity (AC) and the aorta (A). (b-d) Axial images obtained at the level of the head (b), the neck (c) and the pelvis (d) showing the presence of gas in the soft tissues and the blood vessels of the brain. (e) and (f) Images obtained during gas sampling showing needles in the sampling position in the cardiac cavities (e) and the pleural cavities (f).
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The native CT scan revealed the presence of subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravascular gas, a pneumoperitoneum, a bloated heart with the right cavities filled with gas and a left pneumothorax (Figure 1(a-d)).
Photographs obtained during autopsy and tissue sampling. (a) Multiple gas bubbles in the blood after opening of the femoral vessels. (b) Multiple gas bubbles in the superficial blood vessels of the brain.
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During sampling of femoral blood by incision with a scalpel, multiple gas bubbles were visible in the blood (Figure 2(a)).  The autopsy revealed the presence of numerous gas bubbles throughout the vascular system, even in the small vessels of the brain (Figure 2(b)).
Results of gas analysis showing the different gas compositions at intracadaver sampling sites. O2: Oxygen; N2: Nitrogen; and CO2: Carbon dioxide.
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The gas compositions for the different intracadaver sampling sites are displayed in Figure 3. 