engleski

Hand-Schueller-Christian’s Disease in an Ancient Egyptian Mummy ; X-ray, CT and MR Analysis,

An Ancient Egyptian mummy (“Mistress of the House”, named Kareset, Archeological Museum, Zagreb, Croatia) was brought to University Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology in University Hospital “Dubrava”, Zagreb, Croatia. The mummy underwent digital radiographs, computed tomography as well as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging employing 3-dimensional ultra- short-echo time (UTE) sequence, a MR technique allowing to image ancient dry tissue. Morphological observations on the skull, the size of the greater sciatic notch and an elongated thin linen wrapped structure in the pelvic region (which probably represents an artificial penis) indicate that the remains are more likely of a male than a femal. Stages of epiphyseal plate union combined with a moderate dental wear suggest age at death between 20 and 30 years. Through the thorax and abdomen four long linen wrappings can be clearly identified, which should correspond to visceral packages, a practice done from the 21st dynasty onwards. Multiple osseous lytic lesions are observed throughout the spine and on the frontal bone, parietal bone, occipital bone, orbital wall, and Turkish saddle. Considering the sex, age, and the position of these lesions, we suggest that the likely cause of death was the Hand-Schueller- Christian’s disease. Although the mummy was previously dated to 3rd century B.C. based on the properties of the sarcophagi, this is in contrast with the mummification technique used which is more in line with the technique used during the 21st or 22nd dynasty. This was later confirmed by radiometric date (C14) of 900-790 B.C.

Paleoradiology; MR; CT; mummies; Croatia; Ancient Egypt

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