TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical Application of Postmortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Neonates
AU - Shany, Eilon
AU - Marks, Kyla
AU - Levitas, Aviva
AU - Golan, Agneta
AU - Abramsky, Ramy
AU - Taragin, Benjamin H.
AU - Shelef, Ilan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/3/1
Y1 - 2021/3/1
N2 - Background: Recent reports advocate the use of MRI either as a substitute for postmortem examinations or for a more targeted autopsy. Methods: A full-body postmortem MRI (pMRI) of infants was performed as early as possible after death, and findings were compared to clinical premortem diagnoses. Results: Thirty-one infants were scanned during the study period. Median gestation at birth was 34 weeks (ranges: 24-43). In 3 (10%) cases, no new findings were detected. In 2 (6%), new minor findings not related to the cause of death were detected, and in 17 (55%), new minor findings related to the cause of death were detected. New major findings related to the cause of death were detected in 4 (13%) cases, and new major findings not related to the cause of death were detected in 5 (16%) cases. In 3 (10%), findings thought to alter the perceived cause of death were detected. Overall, in 23 (74%) cases, pMRI findings reinforced the clinical premortem diagnoses. Conclusions: pMRI is a culturally accepted alternative when autopsy is not performed and can either reinforce, refute, or add to premortem clinical diagnoses.
AB - Background: Recent reports advocate the use of MRI either as a substitute for postmortem examinations or for a more targeted autopsy. Methods: A full-body postmortem MRI (pMRI) of infants was performed as early as possible after death, and findings were compared to clinical premortem diagnoses. Results: Thirty-one infants were scanned during the study period. Median gestation at birth was 34 weeks (ranges: 24-43). In 3 (10%) cases, no new findings were detected. In 2 (6%), new minor findings not related to the cause of death were detected, and in 17 (55%), new minor findings related to the cause of death were detected. New major findings related to the cause of death were detected in 4 (13%) cases, and new major findings not related to the cause of death were detected in 5 (16%) cases. In 3 (10%), findings thought to alter the perceived cause of death were detected. Overall, in 23 (74%) cases, pMRI findings reinforced the clinical premortem diagnoses. Conclusions: pMRI is a culturally accepted alternative when autopsy is not performed and can either reinforce, refute, or add to premortem clinical diagnoses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100745774&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1159/000512923
DO - 10.1159/000512923
M3 - Article
C2 - 33550296
AN - SCOPUS:85100745774
SN - 1661-7800
VL - 118
SP - 54
EP - 63
JO - Neonatology
JF - Neonatology
IS - 1
ER -