15283-B-Blokker

64 Chapter 4 The first is that imaging data can easily be stored and subjected to second reading, and used for clinical feedback and teaching purposes, whereas macroscopic autopsy findings have to be photographed or organs have to be preserved in order to do so. Another benefit of a minimally invasive autopsy is the possibility to take tissue biopsies under precise CT-guidance from very small lesions. It is known that in patients who died from metastatic disease, scarcely enlarged lymph nodes could be detected at conventional autopsy. Just as in conventional autopsy, one could collect extra tissue biopsies that can be frozen and stored in a tissue bank. Such frozen samples could be used for further diagnostic analyses on a molecular level, and be used for medical research. 26 A logistic advantage of minimally invasive autopsy is that a specialised radiologist is able to read the images from another location and even plan the exact coordinates of the biopsy trajectories for a robot to precisely place the introducer needles. 96,130 If multiple biopsies are routinely obtained, certain advanced techniques will minimize procedure time and eventually help reducing cost. From a technological point of view, Lundström et al. 131 see no obstacles to introducing minimally invasive autopsies on a larger scale. Fryer et al. 129 emphasize the benefit of using a minimally invasive method for screening prior to conventional autopsy in cases with high-risk infections. Among a group of suddenly deceased drug users with a known category 3 infection (such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus or hepatitis-C virus), they identified the cause of death through a minimally invasive examination in a considerable percentage of cases, thereby achieving a two-thirds reduction in the number of high-risk invasive autopsies. Last but not least, clinicians would gain more information from an alternative autopsy than from no post-mortem investigation at all. Conclusion Non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy methods could serve as an alternative to conventional autopsy. However, it should be remembered that these alternative methods are still less accurate than the reference standard, and that taking image- guided tissue biopsies for histologic examination (and therefore performing a minimally invasive autopsy) is essential for achieving the best possible diagnostic accuracy.

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