Abu Dhabi morgue to use virtual autopsies to protect staff against infectious diseases

The body is contained in a cadaver bag throughout the 30-minute scan

The virtual autopsy technology, also known as post-mortem imaging, will protect morgue staff from infectious diseases. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office

Virtual autopsies will soon be used to investigate causes of death at Abu Dhabi Central Morgue.

Medical examiners will use this new technique for a number of purposes – most importantly to limit morgue staff's exposure to infectious diseases, said officials from Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.

“Virtual autopsy has modernised the medical investigation of bodies while ensuring the health and safety of medical staff and contacts of the deceased maintaining respect and privacy towards the bodies of deceased individuals,” said Dr Nayef Hasan Aljanaahi, the first licensed consultant in forensic radiology for the DoH.

The technique can specifically help identify damage to lung tissue and show signs of any previous respiratory distress that would indicated a Covid-19 infection.

This would allow examiners to alert recent close contacts of the deceased that they may have contracted the virus.

The UAE is among a group of countries that adopted the virtual autopsy technique, along with the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia and Japan.

During a virtual autopsy, the body undergoes a CT scan while in a cadaver bag and no physical post mortem is carried out. The procedure takes up to 30 minutes.

The technology was introduced in 2020 in Abu Dhabi and has assisted in the investigations of more than 700 legal cases. It can be used to detect evidence of physical violence.