Korean J Leg Med.  2000 May;24(1):20-24.

Formation of Tyrosine Crystals in the Gastrointestinal Tract: Uncommon Putrefactive Artifact

• Lee SY
• Choi YS
• Lim MA

Abstract

Distinction of antemortem changes from postmortem artifacts is of obvious importance in determining the cause of death. Problems in differential diagnosis may occur as a result of faulty autopsy technique, decomposition changes and destructive environmental factors. Recently we experienced a formation of tyrosine crystals on the gastric and esophageal mucosa of decomposed corpse. The tyrosine crystals found on the gastric and esophageal mucosa were very similar and small pin-head sized whitish gray granules. At first we suspected them as a certain drugs or toxic substances. But the granular materials were confirmed as tyrosine crystals by infrared spectrum analysis. So we report here as a first confirmed case in korea. We think the tyrosine crystal is formed by putrefactive processes and consider as one of the putrefactive artifacts.

Keyword

Postmortem artifact; Tyrosine

MeSH Terms

Artifacts*
Autopsy
Cadaver
Cause of Death
Diagnosis, Differential
Gastrointestinal Tract*
Korea
Mucous Membrane
Spectrum Analysis
Tyrosine*
Tyrosine