Differential diagnosis SIDS/non-SIDS on the basis of histological findings of petechial thymus hemorrhages.
Petechial thymus hemorrhages are found most frequently in SIDS (87%), and very much more rarely in fetuses after abortion and stillbirths (55%) as well as in perinatal deaths (40%). In these groups, there was a uniform histological bleeding pattern with emphasis on the cortical zone. In non-SIDS deaths of natural causes or extrinsic suffocation in babies and infants, it could be demonstrated in 39%. In extrinsic suffocation, the thymus hemorrhages were mostly less pronounced in quantitative terms than in SIDS. In non-SIDS (without extrinsic suffocation), a hemorrhage pattern different from SIDS could be detected with hemorrhagias of different sizes and irregularly distributed over the cortex and medulla.
Risse
M
M
Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Essen, F.R.G.
Weiler
G
G
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000473:pathology; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011693:Purpura / Q000473:pathology; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology*