Virtual autopsy services planned at Rohtak hospital

Sunit Dhawan

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Rohtak, January 27

Modalities are being worked out to have virtual autopsy services, which involve non-invasive post-mortem examination, at the Rohtak PGIMS. It would be the first such facility in Haryana and third in the country. So far, only AIIMS, New Delhi, and NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, have virtual autopsy centres.

In a letter to Prof (Dr) Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences (UHS), Rohtak, the Haryana Director-General of Police (DGP), Shatrujeet Kapur, has requested her to implement the service at the Rohtak PGIMS to enhance efficacy of the criminal justice system.

“Virtual autopsy or post-mortem imaging is a non-invasive procedure that employs imaging techniques like X-rays, CT and MRI scanning to determine the cause of death and examine internal conditions. It reportedly has immense benefits over the traditional autopsy in terms of speed, 3-D visualisation of wounds, internal injuries and foreign objects inside the body, digital storage and retrieval of data,” states the DGP’s letter.

It points out that being non-invasive, virtual autopsy aligns better with the cultural and religious sentiments of the people.

“Traditional autopsies involve opening of the body, which can be distressing for family members. Virtual autopsies reduces this emotional stress as the body remains undisturbed. Secondly, it requires minimum contact, ensuring reduced exposure to potentially harmful infectious agents and chemicals for our medical workforce,” the letter maintains.

The Rohtak PGIMS Director, Dr Shamsher Lohchab, said the virtual autopsy services project was being implemented at the institute. Dr SK Dhattarwal, Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, PGIMS, Rohtak, said it was a welcome initiative.