Schuylkill County coroner updates section on virtual autopsies in noted pathologist's book

Sep. 7—NEW PHILADELPHIA — Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III used his expertise and experience with virtual autopsies using computerized tomography scans to update a chapter in a textbook penned more than a decade ago by a renowned forensic pathologist.

Moylan said that Dr. Cyril H. Wecht asked him to rework "The Evidence Provided by Forensic Radiology" in the book "Forensic Sciences" because of Moylan's 11 years of experience with virtual autopsies in his role as coroner and in his medical practice.

Moylan said the chapter deals with imaging technology and its importance in the field of forensic medicine.

A virtual autopsy is performed on a deceased person when a cause of death is not known and that the manner of death is unusual.

Moylan said such a scan is not invasive and can provide valuable information, including about organs of the body and the skeletal system.

"The information we get can tell us if a person had previous medical conditions that could have lead to his or her death or any other abnormality not visible," Moylan said.

He said many forensic pathologists prefer to have the results of a virtual autopsy before conducting a complete forensic autopsy.

"Our results give them a road map, something to review before they start their autopsies," Moylan said.

Moylan said the chapter he reviewed and amended has not been updated in about 10 years and that technology has changed, CT scanners have became more advanced and the use of virtual autopsies has increased.

In one case involving a 45-year-old woman, Moylan said the virtual autopsy determined she had a cerebral hemorrhage and an enlarged heart.

"This was a mystery case because the woman did not have any medical history," Moylan said.

He said the virtual autopsy determined the cause of death and was performed at a cost of $100, a substantial savings from a complete autopsy of about $3,500 when performed at the Dauphin County Coroner's Office.

Since 2012, Moylan said his office has performed over 2,500 virtual autopsies, saving county taxpayers countless dollars.

"This is important," Moylan said. "We are getting the results both we and law enforcement need without spending thousands of dollars."

Moylan said virtual autopsy results are a permanent record and are available to law enforcement and to forensic pathologists performing a full autopsy, if needed.

Although the chapter of the book he updated is geared for physicians and pathologists, it contains explanations of the workings of a CT scan and how the results are formulated.

Wecht, in his book, which was published by LexisNexis and is in loose-leaf form to allow updates, wrote that a forensic autopsy involves external examination, eviscerating organs, a diagnosis of diseases and injuries and DNA and toxicology analysis, and that a virtual autopsy can be used as a method to augment the traditional autopsy.

Wecht came into the limelight in 1972 when he was the first civilian given permission to examine the President John F. Kennedy assassination evidence.

He has also been involved in the cases of Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate, the Legionnaires' disease outbreak, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, JonBenét Ramsey, the Branch Davidians, Vincent Foster and Anna Nicole Smith.

Wecht performed more than 17,000 autopsies during his career and was, in addition to serving as Allegheny County coroner and medical examiner, a clinical professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and an adjunct professor of law at Duquesne University.

Moylan felt honored that Wecht asked him to review the book and offer his opinions on making the information current.

"They saw I had the knowledge and experience to update the chapter and put my input there," Moylan said. "I am grateful."

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013