Rofo 2017; 189(12): 1152-1160
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-116668
Experimental Radiology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies: Application to the Tyrolean Iceman

Checkliste und Scoringsystem für die Beurteilung des Weichteilerhaltungszustandes anhand von CT Untersuchungen menschlicher Mumien: Anwendung auf Ötzi
Stephanie Panzer
1   Department of Radiology, Trauma Center Murnau and Institute of Biomechanics, Trauma Center Murnau and Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Murnau, Germany
,
Patrizia Pernter
2   Department of Radiodiagnostics, Central Hospital, Bolzano, Italy
,
Dario Piombino-Mascali
3   Department of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Lithuania
,
Rimantas Jankauskas
3   Department of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Lithuania
,
Stephanie Zesch
4   German Mummy Project, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany
,
Wilfried Rosendahl
4   German Mummy Project, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany
,
Gerhard Hotz
5   Anthropology, Natural History Museum of Basel, Switzerland
,
Albert R. Zink
6   EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman, Bolzano, Italy
› Institutsangaben
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

21. März 2017

29. Juni 2017

Publikationsdatum:
23. August 2017 (online)

Abstract

Purpose Soft tissues make a skeleton into a mummy and they allow for a diagnosis beyond osteology. Following the approach of structured reporting in clinical radiology, a recently developed checklist was used to evaluate the soft tissue preservation status of the Tyrolean Iceman using computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study was to apply the “Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies” to the Tyrolean Iceman, and to compare the Iceman’s soft tissue preservation score to the scores calculated for other mummies.

Materials and Methods A whole-body (CT) (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) consisting of five scans, performed in January 2013 in the Department of Radiodiagnostics, Central Hospital, Bolzano, was used (slice thickness 0.6 mm; kilovolt ranging from 80 to 140). For standardized evaluation the “CT Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in Human Mummies” was used.

Results All checkpoints under category “A. Soft Tissues of Head and Musculoskeletal System” and more than half in category “B. Organs and Organ Systems” were observed. The scoring system accounted for a total score of 153 (out of 200). The comparison of the scores between the Iceman and three mummy collections from Vilnius, Lithuania, and Palermo, Sicily, as well as one Egyptian mummy resulted in overall higher soft tissue preservation scores for the Iceman.

Conclusion Application of the checklist allowed for standardized assessment and documentation of the Iceman’s soft tissue preservation status. The scoring system allowed for a quantitative comparison between the Iceman and other mummies. The Iceman showed remarkable soft tissue preservation.

Key Points

  • The approach of structured reporting can be transferred to paleoradiology.

  • The checklist allowed for standardized soft tissue assessment and documentation.

  • The scoring system facilitated a quantitative comparison among mummies.

  • Based on CT, the Tyrolean Iceman demonstrated remarkable soft tissue preservation.

Citation Format

  • Panzer S, Pernter P, Piombino-Mascali D et al. Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies: Application to the Tyrolean Iceman. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 1152 – 1160

Zusammenfassung

Ziel Weichteilgewebe ist die Substanz, die ein Skelett zur Mumie macht und Diagnosen über die Osteologie hinaus erlaubt. Entsprechend dem Ansatz des „structured reporting” in der klinischen Radiologie, wurde eine kürzlich entwickelte Checkliste für die Auswertung der Weichteilerhaltung von Ötzi in der Computertomografie (CT) verwendet. Das Ziel der Studie war, die „CT Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in Human Mummies“ bei Ötzi anzuwenden und Ötzis Weichteilerhaltung quantitativ mit den entsprechenden Scores anderer Mumien zu vergleichen.

Material und Methoden Verwendet wurde ein Ganzkörper-CT (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) bestehend aus fünf Scans, das im Januar 2013 in der Abteilung für Radiodiagnostik, Zentralkrankenhaus Bozen durchgeführt wurde (Schichtdicke 0,6 mm; Spannung von 80 bis 140 Kilovolt). Die standardisierte Auswertung erfolgte anhand der “CT Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in Human Mummies”.

Ergebnisse Aus der Hauptkategorie “A. Soft Tissues of Head and Musculoskeletal System” waren alle Checkpoints erhalten, aus der Hauptkategorie “B. Organs and Organ Systems” mehr als die Hälfte. Das Scoringsystem ergab einen Gesamtscore von 153 (von 200). Der Vergleich der Scores von Ötzi und drei Mumiensammlungen aus Vilnius, Litauen und Palermo, Sizilien sowie einer Einzelmumie aus Ägypten ergab überwiegend höhere Scores der Weichteilerhaltung bei Ötzi.

Schlussfolgerung Die Anwendung der Checkliste ermöglichte eine standardisierte Beurteilung und Dokumentation von Ötzis Weichteilerhaltung. Das Scoringsystem erlaubte einen quantitativen Vergleich zwischen Ötzi und anderen Mumien. Ötzi zeigte eine ausgezeichnete Weichteilerhaltung.

Kernaussagen

  • Der Ansatz des “structured reporting” kann auf die Paläoradiologie übertragen werden.

  • Die Checkliste ermöglichte eine standardisierte Beurteilung und Dokumentation der Weichteilerhaltung.

  • Das Scoringsystem ermöglichte einen quantitativen Vergleich zwischen Mumien.

  • Ötzi hat eine ausgezeichnete Weichteilerhaltung im CT.

 
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