Volatile drug concentration of the blood samples aspirated from the vertebrae in froensic autopsy cases - A preliminary study

Volatile drug concentrations in the aspirates from the thoracic vertebrae were compared with those of the right and left heart blood. Ethanol concentrations in the vertebral aspirates showed very good correlation with those in the right and left heart blood. As for cyanide and acetone, several factors that may affect the concentrations in the vertebral aspirate, including bone marrow content, cause and mode of death, and post-mortem interval, should be studied. The study shows the possibility of the vertebral aspirate as an alternative material for toxicological investigation when the blood is not available due to the postmortem body destruction or interference.