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178 Chapter 9 MIA can supplement epidemiological databases with large amounts of data (e.g. mega imaging and histological data), especially if it were to be used as the objective end- point measurement in the documentation of subjects included in life-long cohorts, 257 like the so-called Rotterdam Study. 278 By improving the accuracy of epidemiological databases, MIA also provides relevant information for the policy makers, who have to decide on how to optimally spend the recourses for healthcare. As the Royal College of Pathologists stated, MIAmay be preferably used to complement autopsy, rather than to replace it. From a technological point of view, there should not be too many obstacles to implement MIA on a larger scale. 131 Some suggest performing a tailored rather than routine approach that is based on the case context, to employ each technique to its maximal advantage and reduce costs. 279,280 We, on the other hand, advocate performing a fully flagged MIA, including histological examination, after which a “partial autopsy” may be all there is needed to complete the investigation, or no further autopsy procedure at all, if the diagnosis is certain and the clinical questions are answered. Whereas it is mainly introduced to boost autopsy rates, MIA may also provide an opportunity for screening prior to CA in cases with high-risk infections, and thereby help to reduce the number of required high-risk autopsies 129 without loss of information about the cause of death. To maintain a good quality of the post-mortem investigations, including the MIA, pathologists and radiologists should work together constructively. Their departments should preferably join forces regionally, by providing an efficient infrastructure and sufficient availability of techniques, required facilities, and skilled physicians. The application of MIA should be supported with a guideline for post-mortem radiology in clinical practice, which is currently under development in the Netherlands. 256 Perhaps, autopsy pathology should become a recognised subspecialty. 42,43 Or, if pathologists and radiologists truly cooperate and post-mortem radiology is integrated into autopsy guidelines, post-mortems might even become a shared subspecialty? 281 Either way, autopsy should be revived, and, evidently, any post-mortem examination provides more information than no post-mortem investigation at all. If we can manage to provide clinicians with quick and useful information, our improved services may change their attitudes towards post-mortems, and they may become more motivated to request consent.

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