engleski

Zagreb mummy paleoradiological reappraisal

Paleoradiology was born only few months after the discovery of X-rays, and since then it has an important role in mummy studies. A mummy Nesi-hensu, known as Zagreb mummy, previously dated back to 390 BC (with the possibility of mistake of +- 45 years) was subjected to radiological analysis at the University Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Whole body digital radiographs were taken in frontal view. Then, a CT scan was obtained using 16x0.75 collimation and the images were reconstructed at 1 mm section thickness and 0.7 mm reconstruction increment using a MDCT unit with 16 rows of detectors. A three dimensional MRI scan, spoiled gradient echo based ultra-short echo time sequence was performed on a 1.5 Tesla scanner. The echo time was set to 0.07 ms, repetition time to 15 ms and the flip angle to 45⁰. 40000 radial projections were used for reconstruction of 256 slices of 1.3x1.3x1.3mm3 isotropic resolution. Scans clearly showed displaced anatomical relations of many joints as well as several post-mortem fractures. A conclusion made by Plavsic in 1986 that the mummy is of an adult person who suffered from osteoarthritis has been confirmed and it is now believed that she was at least 35 years of age but the cause of death wasn’t discovered. MR, a relatevily new technique in scientific mummy studies, allowed vizualisation of resin like fluids used in re-mumification during the late 1990-s. This case report once again clearly showed the usefulness of using radiology in paleopathological studies and opened new perspectives in using clinical MRI in mummy studies.

Paleoradiology; CT; mummies; anthropology; Zagreb

nije evidentirano