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44 Chapter 3 Improving the provided information about autopsies by clinicians and in the media may positively influence the attitude towards autopsy, and next-of-kin’s willingness to consent to autopsy. On a professional level, dedicated information forms could support clinicians’ requests for autopsy, especially if next-of-kin want to know what will be visible after an autopsy and whether they will be able to ritually prepare the deceased’s body for the funeral. From a different angle, changing the conventional, invasive autopsy technique may be the remedy for next-of-kin’s concerns about ‘ mutilation of the deceased’s body ’. Nowadays, non-invasive and minimally invasive autopsy methods are being developed for adults 56,80 fetuses, and children. 88 The minimally invasive methods include post- mortem angiography and/or tissue biopsies, suitable for histology and/ or molecular diagnostics. 26 Higher autopsy rates may be achieved with these alternatives 89 although our study suggests a minor effect in view of the on average low percentage of next- of-kin refusing autopsy because of ‘ fear of mutilation of the deceased’s body ’. However in certain ethnical or religious subgroups non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures might significantly increase the acceptance of post-mortem investigation. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to report that the main reason for not requesting or allowing an autopsy is the assumption that the cause of death is known. This is a dangerous premise because it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it ignores the value of the autopsy as a tool for quality control in medicine. Clinicians should be reminded that autopsies still disclose unexpected findings, which are significant for future patients. Remarkably, mutilation of the body of the deceased seems a minor consideration of the next- of-kin, suggesting that minimally or non-invasive alternatives for the autopsy might not significantly alter autopsy rates. However, only if these alternatives are really offered will it be possible to study how they will affect autopsy rates in particular among populations with fundamental objections against the conventional autopsy, which thereby miss the benefits of post-mortem investigation.