title: [Autopsy study of 4074 pediatric cases].
abstract: 4074 pediatric autopsies were performed in the Pathology Department of Guangzhou Children's Hospital from 1958 to 1992. The autopsy rate was 23.9%. However, the autopsy rate from 1958 to 1965 was higher (38.90%) than that for 1966 to 1976 (13.20%). Since 1977, the autopsy rate increased to 24.80% but still lower than the period between 1959 to 1965. Based upon the pathologic diagnosis, incorrect antemortem diagnosis was found in 22% of cases. It is of interest to note that the percentage of incorrect diagnosis was lower during the 1958-1969 period than the 1970-1992 period (15.30% and 25% and 25.8% respectively). This suggests that adoption of advanced diagnostic technique have not diminished the role of postmortem examination to confirm or correct clinical diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Children's Hospital.
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*