Soon, autopsies might be performed using computerized scanning rather than scalpels if research led by a Swiss forensic pathologist bears fruit.
The "virtual autopsy" as envisioned and practiced by Dr. Michael Thali and colleagues at the University of Bern's Institute of Forensic Medicine is a minimally invasive procedure that relies on high technology rather than sharp implements. Thali said technicians use advanced computed tomography -- CT scans -- to get an overview of the body, then follow that up with magnetic resonance imaging for details of organs, muscles and soft tissue.
