Fig. 3

Virtopsy findings of the traumatic injuries in the severely injured Sousa chinensis (WL212). a The carcass was placed in prone position on the couch top for postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) examination. b Three-dimensional volume rendered image (3DVRI) from PMCT showing the lumbocaudal region of WL212 with cut chop wounds on the dorsal aspect (X1-X4), with the most severe wound at the caudal peduncle (X4). Note that parts of the dorsal fin and tail flukes were out of the scan field and thus not reconstructed. c 3DVRI from PMCT showing the bony structures of the caudal region, notably the fracture at the spinous process of the 4^th caudal vertebra at X3 and the open comminuted fracture affecting the 10^th to 12^th caudal vertebrae at X4. d Mid-sagittal PMCT showing the open comminuted fracture of the 10^th to 12^th caudal vertebrae at X4 (arrowheads). e T2-weighted postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (PMMRI) showing details of the neuromuscular injuries associated with X4, including the discontinuation of the spinal cord and spinal canal (asterisks and arrowheads) with scar tissue formation around the fractured vertebrae and spinal canal, and a hyperintense area ventral to the vertebral column suggestive of localised oedema (arrow)