Families grieving a death could soon face less distress during post-mortem procedures if Kerala introduces virtual autopsy facilities in government medical colleges, according to forensic experts.
The proposal is being looked at again by the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), which is considering sending a fresh recommendation to the UDF government. The plan was earlier submitted during the previous LDF government's tenure but did not move forward at the time.
Medical experts say the system can act as an alternative to traditional post-mortems in selected cases, using advanced scanning technology instead of surgical dissection.
What a virtual autopsy does
A virtual autopsy, also called "virtopsy", is a method of finding the cause of death without cutting open the body.
Instead of a conventional post-mortem, doctors use CT and MRI scanners to take detailed images of the entire body. The scan is usually done with the body still in a body bag.
These images are then processed using specialised forensic software, which creates clear 2D and 3D visuals of organs, bones and soft tissues.
The method helps doctors spot small fractures and foreign objects like bullets that may not always be visible during a standard examination. It is also useful for examining difficult areas such as the spine and pelvis.
However, experts say it cannot fully replace traditional autopsies, especially in cases like poisoning or deaths that require tissue samples for confirmation. It does, though, provide a permanent digital record that can be stored and reviewed later.
Proposal, cost and expert views
The forensic medicine departments of Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Thrissur medical colleges had jointly submitted the proposal earlier.
The DME is now considering starting the facility on a pilot basis at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. Similar systems are already in use at institutions such as AIIMS Delhi, Shillong and Rishikesh.
Doctors estimate the setup cost at around Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore per hospital. It would require dedicated CT and MRI scanners, specialised software, forensic workstations and trained staff. Experts say it may take up to two years for the system to become fully functional.
Kottayam Medical College forensic department head Dr Unmesh A.K. said courts can now accept digital evidence, so virtual autopsies would not face legal issues in court cases.
However, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College forensic department head Dr Renju Raveendran said the system cannot replace all conventional post-mortems and should be used only where it is suitable alongside existing methods.