Contrast-enhanced postmortem computed tomography in clinical pathology: enhanced value of 20 clinical autopsies.

Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a modern tool that complements autopsy diagnostics. In clinical autopsies, a major cause of death is cardiovascular disease. To improve the performance of PMCT in cardiovascular disease, full body angiography was developed (PMCT angiography [PMCTA]). Twenty PMCTA scans generated before autopsy were compared with native PMCT and clinical autopsy. The objective of the study was to quantify the additional diagnostic value of adding angiography to native imaging and to compare PMCT and PMCTA findings to autopsy findings. The diagnosis of the cause of death was identical or overlapped in 80% of the cases that used PMCTA and 70% that used PMCT. The additional diagnostic yield given by PMCT and PMCTA in combination with autopsy was 55%. PMCT yielded additional diagnoses in the musculoskeletal system. The greatest additional diagnostic value of PMCTA was in association with cardiovascular diagnoses. The accuracy of PMCTA for cardiac causes of death was 80%, and the positive predictive value was 90%. The findings indicate that native PMCT cannot display the cardiovascular system sufficiently clearly for high-quality diagnostic assessment. However, PMCTA is a powerful tool in autopsy cases with a history of cardiovascular disease and/or a suspected cardiovascular cause of death. The combination of PMCTA and clinical autopsy enhances diagnostic quality and completeness of the autopsy report. Furthermore, in cases without consent or with a restricted consent for clinical autopsy, PMCTA has the potential to provide information on cardiovascular causes of death.

Chronic kidney disease is associated with high abdominal incisional hernia rates and wound healing disturbances.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Incisional hernias are among the most frequent complications following abdominal surgery with impact on morbidity and mortality rates. Elevated uremia toxins may inhibit granulation tissue formation and impair wound healing, thereby promoting incisional hernia development. Here, we quantified the hazard ratio for incisional hernia prevalence in patients at risk undergoing abdominal reoperations with interrelationship to kidney function. In the same cohort, incidence rates for de novo wound healing disturbances within a4-month follow-up period were determined. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Upon hospitalization for elective abdominal surgery in a university hospital (tertiary medical center), past medical histories were recorded in 251 patients and incisional hernia prevalence rates were calculated. Known modifiers for hernia formation as well as laboratory values for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were recorded. The status of wound healing was assessed by a blinded investigator 4 months postoperatively. Chronic kidney disease(CKD) was defined as eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. To identify independent risk factors for incisional hernia or postoperative wound healing disorder, multivariate regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The incisional hernia prevalence was 24.3 % in the overall cohort. Patients with CKD (32/251; 12.8 %)were more likely to suffer from incisional hernias with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.8 ([95 % CI 1.2-6.1]; p = 0.014) than patients with eGFR >60 ml/min (219/251; 88.2 %). In multivariate analyses, CKD proved to be an independent risk factor for incisional hernia development with an OR similar to obesity (BMI>25; OR 2.6 [95 % CI 1.3-5.1];p = 0.007). In the prospective analysis, disturbed wound healing occurred in 32 of 251 (12.8 %) patients undergoing abdominal operations. Frequency of wound healing was increased when CKD was present (8/32; 25 %; OR 2.3[95 % CI 1.1­6.7]; p = 0.026) compared to patients with eGFR>60 ml/min (24/219; 11 %). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic kidney disease is associated with impaired wound healing and constitutes an independent risk factor for incisional hernia development.

Virtual CT autopsy in clinical pathology: feasibility in clinical autopsies.

For the past century, autopsy techniques in clinical pathology have not changed significantly, while autopsy rates are declining. Modern imaging techniques offer interesting prospects of supportive post-mortem diagnostic investigation. In a prospective study of 29 autopsy cases, complimentary virtual autopsy using unenhanced post-mortem computed tomography (pmCT) was performed. We analysed in a prospective cohort study 29 unenhanced pmCT scans, generated prior to autopsy. Clinical information regarding clinical history and circumstances of death were provided. The objective of the study was to find consistency and/or discrepancy between virtual autopsy and conventional autopsy findings regarding cause of death and death-related diagnoses, reconstruction of the pathogenetic mechanisms involved, side diagnoses and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)- or death-related post-mortem changes. Accuracy of pmCT for cause of death was 68 % and the positive predictive value (PPV) was 75 %. Regarding the pathogenetic mechanisms, accuracy of pmCT was 21 % and PPV was 29 %. The combined diagnostic yield of autopsy and pmCT was 133 % compared to autopsy only. Modern imaging techniques give an opportunity for post-mortem diagnostics to complete but not yet replace traditional autopsy. We could show that in two out of three cases, the cause of death found by pmCT matched the diagnosis from classical autopsy. While both disciplines, pathology and radiology, will profit from the mutual exchange of data, it seems a realistic aim to strive for virtual autopsy possibly further supported by biopsies and contrast-enhanced pmCT as an alternative to the classical clinical autopsy. A combination of both methods enhances diagnostic quality and completeness of the autopsy report.