Ces radiol. 2009, 63(3):251-258

Virtual autopsy of an aborted fetusOriginal article

Jiří Ferda¹, Šárka Hadravská²

¹ Klinika zobrazovacích metod LF UK a FN, Plzeň

² Šiklův ústav patologické anatomie LF UK a FN, Plzeň

Aim: To assess the possibilities of the virtual autopsy of an aborted fetus using multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Method: Imaging using combination of multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance was performed in ten aborted fetuses after induction of the aborts and in one spontaneously aborted fetus. Sub-millimeter isotropic resolution was used both in computed tomography (with dual energy of the X-rays) and magnetic resonance (T1 weighted gradient echo, T2 weighted turbo spin echo or T2* weighted gradient echo) All findings of virtual autopsy was confronted with the pathological-anatomic autopsy.

Results: There were found serious developmental disorders of the appendicular skeleton in 6 cases, of the skull in two cases, of the viscera in 4 cases, of the brain in two cases, intracranial bleeding in two cases and free fluid in coelomatic cavities in three cases. The gender was found correctly in all cases.

Conclusion: Combination of the multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance offers the imaging of the serious developmental disorders with the sufficient accuracy and might serve as the navigation during real autopsy to minimize the damage of the tissue to be evaluated.

Keywords: virtual autopsy, post-mortem imaging of the fetus, aborted fetus

Accepted: July 15, 2009; Published: September 1, 2009  Show citation