Diagnostic yield from 231 autopsies in a community hospital.
Autopsy reports of 231 adult autopsies were examined for clinically unexpected diagnoses. Analysis of data showed that 97 of 188 autopsy diagnoses were clinically unexpected. The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was clinically the most frequently missed diagnosis relative to its actual occurrence. Also noted was that the proportion of cases with unexpected diagnoses increased from 1983 to 1987.
Rao
M G
MG
Department of Pathology, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey 07740.
Rangwala
A F
AF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006753:Hospital Records; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey