MRI and MRS are finding more and more their way into forensic medicine. Unlike in vivo measurements, however, the temperature of cadavers in forensic medicine varies considerably and affects the performed measurement. The present study investigated how well published calibrations measured in vivo or in phantoms are suited for postmortem MRS thermometry. Postmortem MRS thermometry would allow to estimate and possibly correct the effects of the local temperature in a forensic setting. The study reveals that despite strong postmortem changes, a reliable estimation of the local temperature over up to 60 hours after death is possible with available temperature calibrations.
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