Effect of minimally invasive autopsy and ethnic background on acceptance of clinical postmortem investigation in adults.

Objectives: Autopsy rates worldwide have dropped significantly over the last five decades. Imaging based autopsies are increasingly used as alternatives to conventional autopsy (CA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the introduction of minimally invasive autopsy, consisting of CT, MRI and tissue biopsies on the overall autopsy rate (of CA and minimally invasive autopsy) and the autopsy rate among different ethnicities.

Hospital implementation of minimally invasive autopsy: A prospective cohort study of clinical performance and costs.

Objectives: Autopsy rates worldwide have dropped significantly over the last decades and imaging-based autopsies are increasingly used as an alternative to conventional autopsy. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical performance and cost of minimally invasive autopsy.

Methods: This study was part of a prospective cohort study evaluating a newly implemented minimally invasive autopsy consisting of MRI, CT, and biopsies.

Conventional Autopsy versus Minimally Invasive Autopsy with Postmortem MRI, CT, and CT-guided Biopsy: Comparison of Diagnostic Performance.

Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of minimally invasive autopsy with that of conventional autopsy. Materials and Methods For this prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study in an academic hospital, 295 of 2197 adult cadavers (mean age: 65 years [range, 18-99 years]; age range of male cadavers: 18-99 years; age range of female cadavers: 18-98 years) who died from 2012 through 2014 underwent conventional autopsy. Family consent for minimally invasive autopsy was obtained for 139 of the 295 cadavers; 99 of those 139 cadavers were included in this study.

Diagnostic accuracy of postmortem computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography-guided biopsies for the detection of ischaemic heart disease in a hospital setting.

Aims: The autopsy rate worldwide is alarmingly low (0-15%). Mortality statistics are important, and it is, therefore, essential to perform autopsies in a sufficient proportion of deaths. The imaging autopsy, non-invasive, or minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) can be used as an alternative to the conventional autopsy in an attempt to improve postmortem diagnostics by increasing the number of postmortem procedures.

Total-body CT and MR features of postmortem change in in-hospital deaths.

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of total-body CT and MR features of postmortem change in in-hospital deaths.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective blinded cross-sectional study, in-hospital deceased adult patients underwent total-body postmortem CT and MR followed by image-guided biopsies. The presence of PMCT and PMMR features related to postmortem change was scored retrospectively and correlated with postmortem time interval, post-resuscitation status and intensive care unit (ICU) admittance.

Non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy compared to conventional autopsy of suspected natural deaths in adults: a systematic review.

Objectives: Autopsies are used for healthcare quality control and improving medical knowledge. Because autopsy rates are declining worldwide, various non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy methods are now being developed. To investigate whether these might replace the invasive autopsies conventionally performed in naturally deceased adults, we systematically reviewed original prospective validation studies.