Diffusion tensor brain imaging in forensic radiology

•DTI parameters in 10 post-mortem cadaveric vs. 10 antemortem healthy control brains <24h PMI.•ROIs for each brain in the gray and white matter.•Longitudinal diffusivity, transverse diffusivity and ADC are reduced post-mortem.•Lack of FA changes in white matter, unlike stroke, possible due to ischemic cascade rather than direct cell death.•Gray matter in caudate showed an increase in FA similar to degenerative and inflammatory pathologies.