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U.S. medical autopsy rates have dropped from approximately 45% in the 1960s to less than 8% in recent years, and interest is growing in use of radiologic imaging techniques as an alternative (JW Gen Med Dec 15 2011). In this prospective study from Germany, researchers received family permission to perform both computed tomography (CT) autopsy and traditional medical autopsy in 47 patients who died in intensive care units.
Of the 196 diagnoses that were made before death based on available clinical information, CT confirmed 88% and medical autopsy confirmed 93%. CT also detected 10 new diagnoses that could have affected clinical care, outcomes, or both, whereas medical autopsy identified 14 new diagnoses. Several cardiovascular and cancer dia…