Postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA), a subfield of forensic radiology, enables visualization of anatomical structures and vessels that are difficult to access during autopsy, thereby providing objective findings that may not be identifi...
Postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA), a subfield of forensic radiology, enables visualization of anatomical structures and vessels that are difficult to access during autopsy, thereby providing objective findings that may not be identified through conventional examination. The National Forensic Service currently performs PMCTA using the AngelBox II–WhiteAngel, a domestically developed contrast injection system; However, the catheters attached to this system rely on costly foreign products and are manufactured to the diameter of non-Korean adult body types, limiting their applicability. Additionally, the previous procedure required practitioners to manually secure the catheter to the vessel with string to prevent contrast regurgitation, creating practical inconvenience.
To address these limitations, this study developed the Protection Foley Device (PFD), a domestically manufactured catheter kit designed to accommodate diverse vessel characteristics regardless of body habitus, incorporating balloon dilation of a Foley-type catheter and a 3D-printed fixation apparatus. Performance testing of the PFD was conducted through PMCTA at the National Forensic Service in Wonju, and an interview-based survey was administered to five participants involved in the procedure. Qualitative evaluation showed high practicality, with 37 of 40 responses (92.5%) rated 5 points and 3 responses (7.5%) rated 4 points, indicating that all assessment categories scored at least 4 points. Identified modifications were subsequently addressed through additional design improvements. Future work aims to establish quantitative evaluation metrics based on the operating parameters of the AngelBox II–WhiteAngel to further enhance usability. The findings of this study may help reduce the cost of importing consumables for PMCTA, support the development of an appropriate domestic supply system, and ultimately serve as foundational data for advancing consumable products used in the field of forensic medicine in Korea.