SynthesisEuropean radiology2016
Non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy compared to conventional autopsy of suspected natural deaths in adults: a systematic review.
Synthesis in European radiology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 65 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
65 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 133 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sensitivity and specificity of post-mortem computed tomography in skull fracture detection-a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of legal medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Microbiology in minimally invasive autopsy: best techniques to detect infection. ESGFOR (ESCMID study group of forensic and post-mortem microbiology) guidelines.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2021Guideline
- Postmortem imaging findings and cause of death determination compared with autopsy: a systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy and meta-analysis.International journal of legal medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Dutch guideline for clinical foetal-neonatal and paediatric post-mortem radiology, including a review of literature.European journal of pediatrics · 2018Guideline
- Guidelines for autopsy investigation of sudden cardiac death: 2017 update from the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology.Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology · 2017Guideline
- Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling for Postmortem Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis in Zambian Adults.Open forum infectious diseases · 2026Article
- [Minimally invasive autopsies-Methods and limitations].Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026Review
- Analysis of postmortem dermal extracts is an efficient illicit drug screening method supporting forensic medicine.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Exploring minimally invasive tissue sampling as an alternative to conventional autopsy in neonatal deaths.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2026Observational
- Diagnostic performance of minimally invasive autopsy in a respiratory ICU: A retrospective analysis.Lung India : official organ of Indian Chest Society · 2026Article
- The acceptability of minimally invasive tissue sampling for cause of death determination in rural South Africa: A qualitative analysis.PloS one · 2026Article
- The current state of forensic imaging - post mortem imaging.International journal of legal medicine · 2025Review
- Exploring radiomic features of lateral cerebral ventricles in postmortem CT for postmortem interval estimation.International journal of legal medicine · 2025Article
- Advancements in pathology: Digital transformation, precision medicine, and beyond.Journal of pathology informatics · 2025Review
- Performance of postmortem CT in the diagnosis of natural death from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.Japanese journal of radiology · 2024Article
- Morbidity and Mortality Conferences in Internal Medicine Specialty Training in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Study.Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) · 2024Article
- Videoautopsy-A Minimally Invasive Autopsy Method Using Endoscopic Techniques in Forensic Medicine: Clinical Features.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Concordance between MITS and conventional autopsies for pathological and virological diagnoses.International journal of legal medicine · 2024Article
- Minimally invasive autopsy - endoscopic approach to post-mortem diagnostics.Wideochirurgia i inne techniki maloinwazyjne = Videosurgery and other miniinvasive techniques · 2024Review
- [Interdisciplinary ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive autopsy in COVID-19-deceased patients in the intensive care unit of a university hospital : A proof-of-concept study].Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2023Review
5 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesAutopsies 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. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe searched six databases. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data. Methods and patient groups were too heterogeneous for meaningful meta-analysis of outcomes.
resultsSixteen of 1538 articles met our inclusion criteria. Eight studies used a blinded comparison; ten included less than 30 appropriate cases. Thirteen studies used radiological imaging (seven dealt solely with non-invasive procedures), two thoracoscopy and laparoscopy, and one sampling without imaging. Combining CT and MR was the best non-invasive method (agreement for cause of death: 70 %, 95%CI: 62.6; 76.4), but minimally invasive methods surpassed non-invasive methods. The highest sensitivity for cause of death (90.9 %, 95%CI: 74.5; 97.6, suspected duplicates excluded) was achieved in recent studies combining CT, CT-angiography and biopsies.
conclusionMinimally invasive autopsies including biopsies performed best. To establish a feasible alternative to conventional autopsy and to increase consent to post-mortem investigations, further research in larger study groups is needed. KEY POINTS: • Health care quality control benefits from clinical feedback provided by (alternative) autopsies. • So far, sixteen studies investigated alternative autopsy methods for naturally deceased adults. • Thirteen studies used radiological imaging modalities, eight tissue biopsies, and three CT-angiography. • Combined CT, CT-angiography and biopsies were most sensitive diagnosing cause of death.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.