Abstract
The gold standard for the diagnosis of foetal death is known to be the autopsy examination, which is sometimes supplemented by chromosomal and/or genetic studies. Nevertheless, autopsy rates are continuously declining, due to multifactorial and complex reasons, even anatomical, social and psychological ones, thus impacting the rate of radiological post-mortem foetal examinations.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bonetti LR et al (2011) The role of fetal autopsy and placental examination in the causes of fetal death: a retrospective study of 132 cases of stillbirths. Arch Gynecol Obstet 283:231–241
Miller ES et al (2016) Stillbirth evaluation: a stepwise assessment of placental pathology and autopsy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 214:115e1–115e6
Heller DS, Faye-Petersen OM (2015) Pathology of the still- born infant for the general pathologist: part 1. Adv Anat Pathol 22:1–28
Gordijn SJ et al (2002) Value of the perinatal autopsy: critique. Pediatr Dev Pathol 5(5):480–488
Brodlie M et al (2002) Ten years of neonatal autopsies in tertiary referral Centre: retrospective study. BMJ 324(7340):761–763
Burton JL, Underwood J (2007) Clinical, educational, and epidemiological value of autopsy. Lancet 369(9571):1471–1480
Griffiths PD et al (2005) Post-mortem MRI as an adjunct to fetal or neonatal autopsy. Lancet 365(9466):1271–1273
Lequin MH, Huisman TA (2012) Postmortem MR imaging in the fetal and neonatal period. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 20(1):129–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mric.2011.08.008
Cartlidge PHT et al (1995) Value and quality of perinatal and infant post mortem examinations: cohort analysis of 400 consecutive cases. BMJ 310:155–158
Vujanic GM et al (1995) Perinatal and infant postmortem examinations: how well are we doing? J Clin Pathol 48:998–1001
Griffiths PD et al (2003) Postmortem MR imaging of the fetal and stillborn central nervous system. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 24(1):22–27
Vullo A et al (2016) Post-mortem magnetic resonance foetal imaging: a study of morphological correlation with conventional autopsy and histopathological findings. Radiol Med 121(11):847–856
Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn T and van Rijn RR(2010) Current techniques in postmortem imaging with specific attention to paediatric applications. Pediatr Radiol 40(2):141–152; quiz 259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-009-1486-0
Arthurs OJ et al (2015) Paediatric and perinatal postmortem imaging: the need for a subspecialty approach. Pediatr Radiol 45(4):483–490. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3132-8
Arthurs OJ et al (2016) ESPR postmortem imaging task force: where we begin. Pediatr Radiol 46(9):1363–1369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-016-3639-2
Arthurs OJ et al (2014) Current status of paediatric post-mortem imaging: an ESPR questionnaire-based survey. Pediatr Radiol 44(3):244–251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-013-2827-6
Cousens S et al (2011) National, regional, and worldwide estimates of stillbirth rates in 2009 with trends since 1995: a systematic analysis. Lancet 377(9774):1319–1330
Italian Ministry of Health (2014) Decree October 7. www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2014/11/22/14A08847/sg
Calder AD, Offiah AC (2015) Foetal radiography for suspected skeletal dysplasia: technique, normal appearances, diagnostic approach. Pediatr Radiol 45(4):536–548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3130-x
Farina J et al (2002) Ultrasonographic autopsy (echopsy): a new autopsy technique. Virchows Arch 440:635–639
Uchigasaki S et al (2004) Application of compact ultrasound imaging device to postmortem diagnosis. Forensic Sci Int 140:33–41
Bolliger SA et al (2008) Virtual autopsy using imaging: bridging radiologic and forensic sciences. A review of the Virtopsy and similar projects. Eur Radiol 18:273–282
Lombardi CM et al (2014) Postmortem microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) of small fetuses and hearts. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 44(5):600–609. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.13330
Sarda-Quarello L et al (2016) Whole-body perinatal postmortem CT angiography. Diagn Interv Imaging 97(1):121–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diii.2014.11.002
Gorincour G et al (2015) The future of pediatric and perinatal postmortem imaging. Pediatr Radiol 45(4):509–516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3266-8
Breeze AC et al (2006) Use of a confidence scale in reporting postmortem fetal magnetic resonance imaging. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 28(7):918–924
Thayyil S et al (2011) Post mortem magnetic resonance imaging in the fetus, infant and child: a comparative study with conventional autopsy (MaRIAS Protocol). BMC Pediatr 11:120. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-11-120
Arthurs OJ et al (2015) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Autopsy Study (MARIAS) Collaborative Group. Diagnostic accuracy and limitations of post-mortem MRI for neurological abnormalities in fetuses and children. Clin Radiol 70:872–880
Orasanu E et al (2014) Brain volume estimation from post-mortem newborn and fetal MRI. Neuroimage Clin 6:438–444
Whitby E et al (2001) Ultrafast MR assessment of CNS abnormalities in third trimester pregnancy: methodology and early experience. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 108:519–526
Arthurs OJ et al (2014) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Autopsy Study (MARIAS) Collaborative Group (2014) Diagnostic accuracy of post-mortem MRI for thoracic abnormalities in fetuses and children. Eur Radiol 24:2876–2884
Thayyil S et al (2009) Post-mortem examination of human fetuses: a comparison of whole-body high-field MRI at 9.4 T with conventional MRI and invasive autopsy. Lancet 374:467–475
Sarikouch S et al (2008) Value of postmortem magnetic resonance imaging for fatal neonatal congenital heart disease: a case report. Pediatr Cardiol 29:667–669
Arthurs OJ et al (2015) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Autopsy Study (MaRIAS) Collaborative Group (2015) Diagnostic accuracy of post mortem MRI for abdominal abnormalities in foetuses and children. Eur J Radiol 84:474–481
Woodward PJ et al (1997) Postmortem fetal MR imaging: comparison with findings at autopsy. AJR Am J Roentgenol 168(1):41–46
Arthurs OJ, Taylor AM, Sebire NJ (2015) Indications, advantages and limitations of perinatal postmortem imaging in clinical practice. Pediatr Radiol 45(4):491–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3165-z
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Salerno, S., Alberghina, F., Terranova, M.C., Lo Re, G., Maresi, E., Lagalla, R. (2020). Post-mortem Foetal Imaging. In: Lo Re, G., Argo, A., Midiri, M., Cattaneo, C. (eds) Radiology in Forensic Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96737-0_25
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96737-0_25
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96736-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96737-0
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)