Hypothermic death resulting from extreme freezing with characteristic postmortem computed tomography findings: A case report and review of the literature

We report a case of hypothermic death that resulted from extreme freezing, with characteristic postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings. A 75-year-old man died in a deeply frozen state. In PMCT, there was a lack of increase in the bilateral lung-field attenuation. Urinary retention, with a hypodense area of frozen urine, was observed in the bladder. Changes that appeared to involve the crystallization of serum in frozen blood were observed in the aorta. Based on the scene and his circumstances, it was speculated that he died of hypothermia. Present case and our review revealed that although PMCT findings from hypothermic death that resulted from deep freezing are very rare, the characteristic PMCT findings may help determine the cause of death.