Paediatric and Perinatal Postmortem Imaging: the Need for a Subspecialty Approach

Overview

Journal Pediatr Radiol

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2014 Aug 31

PMID 25172007

Citations 12

Authors

Owen J Arthurs

Rick R van Rijn

Andrew M Taylor

Neil J Sebire

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Paediatric postmortem imaging is distinct and different from adult postmortem imaging due to differences in disease aetiology, pathology and imaging approaches, which require a particular skill set to maximise its yield and clinical utility. Practitioners need to have expertise in several aspects of radiology, including both plain radiographs and cross-sectional imaging modalities, knowledge of specialist techniques, and familiarity with the unique range of pathologies in this patient population, including perinatal pathology. Here we outline the training requirements that should be considered to establish such a service.

Citing Articles

Usefulness of virtual autopsy in diagnosing pathologies in the paediatric population: A systematic review.

Wickramasinghe C, Edussuriya D, Perera S, Herath N SAGE Open Med. 2023; 11:20503121231172002.

PMID: 37197019 PMC: 10184261. DOI: 10.1177/20503121231172002.

The Practicality of Post-mortem Imaging in Prenatal, Perinatal, and Pediatric Cases.

Ashby C, Razzak A, Kogler A, Amireh A, Dempsey J, Lin K Cureus. 2022; 14(9):e28859.

PMID: 36225432 PMC: 9536932. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28859.

A pragmatic evidence-based approach to post-mortem perinatal imaging.

Shelmerdine S, Hutchinson J, Lewis C, Simcock I, Sekar T, Sebire N Insights Imaging. 2021; 12(1):101.

PMID: 34264420 PMC: 8282801. DOI: 10.1186/s13244-021-01042-1.

Utility of unenhanced postmortem computed tomography for investigation of in-hospital nontraumatic death in children up to 3 years of age at a single Japanese tertiary care hospital.

Ishida M, Gonoi W, Shirota G, Abe H, Shintani-Domoto Y, Ikemura M Medicine (Baltimore). 2020; 99(19):e20130.

PMID: 32384493 PMC: 7220630. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000020130.

Maceration determines diagnostic yield of fetal and neonatal whole body post-mortem ultrasound.

Shelmerdine S, Langan D, Mandalia U, Sebire N, Arthurs O Prenat Diagn. 2019; 40(2):232-243.

PMID: 31743482 PMC: 7028035. DOI: 10.1002/pd.5615.

References

de Jonge A, Baron R, Westerneng M, Twisk J, Hutton E . Perinatal mortality rate in the Netherlands compared to other European countries: a secondary analysis of Euro-PERISTAT data. Midwifery. 2013; 29(8):1011-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2013.02.005. View

Burton J, Underwood J . Clinical, educational, and epidemiological value of autopsy. Lancet. 2007; 369(9571):1471-1480. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60376-6. View

Swinton C, Weiner J, Okah F . The neonatal autopsy: can it be revived?. Am J Perinatol. 2013; 30(9):739-44. DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1332798. View

Weustink A, Hunink M, van Dijke C, Renken N, Krestin G, Oosterhuis J . Minimally invasive autopsy: an alternative to conventional autopsy?. Radiology. 2009; 250(3):897-904. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2503080421. View

Weber M, Pryce J, Ashworth M, Malone M, Sebire N . Histological examination in sudden unexpected death in infancy: evidence base for histological sampling. J Clin Pathol. 2011; 65(1):58-63. DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2011-200224. View

Thayyil S, Sebire N, Chitty L, Wade A, Chong W, Olsen O . Post-mortem MRI versus conventional autopsy in fetuses and children: a prospective validation study. Lancet. 2013; 382(9888):223-33. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60134-8. View

Sebire N, Weber M, Thayyil S, Mushtaq I, Taylor A, Chitty L . Minimally invasive perinatal autopsies using magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic postmortem examination ("keyhole autopsy"): feasibility and initial experience. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2011; 25(5):513-8. DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2011.601368. View

Horey D, Flenady V, Heazell A, Khong T . Interventions for supporting parents' decisions about autopsy after stillbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; (2):CD009932. PMC: 11625498. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009932.pub2. View

Grabherr S, Doenz F, Steger B, Dirnhofer R, Dominguez A, Sollberger B . Multi-phase post-mortem CT angiography: development of a standardized protocol. Int J Legal Med. 2010; 125(6):791-802. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-010-0526-5. View

10.

Shojania K, Burton E, McDonald K, Goldman L . Changes in rates of autopsy-detected diagnostic errors over time: a systematic review. JAMA. 2003; 289(21):2849-56. DOI: 10.1001/jama.289.21.2849. View

11.

Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn T, van Rijn R . Current techniques in postmortem imaging with specific attention to paediatric applications. Pediatr Radiol. 2009; 40(2):141-52. PMC: 2803260. DOI: 10.1007/s00247-009-1486-0. View

12.

Sebire N, Miller S, Jacques T, Taylor A, Rennie J, Kendall G . Post-mortem apparent resolution of fetal ventriculomegaly: evidence from magnetic resonance imaging. Prenat Diagn. 2013; 33(4):360-4. DOI: 10.1002/pd.4065. View

13.

Roberts I, Benamore R, Benbow E, Lee S, Harris J, Jackson A . Post-mortem imaging as an alternative to autopsy in the diagnosis of adult deaths: a validation study. Lancet. 2011; 379(9811):136-42. PMC: 3262166. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61483-9. View

14.

Wittschieber D, Klauschen F, Kimmritz A, von Winterfeld M, Kamphues C, Scholman H . Who is at risk for diagnostic discrepancies? Comparison of pre- and postmortal diagnoses in 1800 patients of 3 medical decades in East and West Berlin. PLoS One. 2012; 7(5):e37460. PMC: 3358345. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037460. View

15.

Rutty G, Brogdon G, Dedouit F, Grabherr S, Hatch G, Jackowski C . Terminology used in publications for post-mortem cross-sectional imaging. Int J Legal Med. 2012; 127(2):465-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-012-0782-7. View

16.

Weber M, Ashworth M, Risdon R, Hartley J, Malone M, Sebire N . The role of post-mortem investigations in determining the cause of sudden unexpected death in infancy. Arch Dis Child. 2008; 93(12):1048-53. DOI: 10.1136/adc.2007.136739. View

17.

Cockerill R, Whitworth M, Heazell A . Do medical certificates of stillbirth provide accurate and useful information regarding the cause of death?. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2012; 26(2):117-23. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2011.01247.x. View

18.

Sullivan J, Monagle P . Bereaved parents' perceptions of the autopsy examination of their child. Pediatrics. 2011; 127(4):e1013-20. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-2027. View

19.

Vogt C, Blaas H, Salvesen K, Eik-Nes S . Comparison between prenatal ultrasound and postmortem findings in fetuses and infants with developmental anomalies. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 39(6):666-72. DOI: 10.1002/uog.10106. View

20.

Bruguier C, Mosimann P, Vaucher P, Uske A, Doenz F, Jackowski C . Multi-phase postmortem CT angiography: recognizing technique-related artefacts and pitfalls. Int J Legal Med. 2013; 127(3):639-52. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-013-0840-9. View