title: [Virtual autopsy--why not?].
abstract: The number of autopsies carried out by pathologists is decreasing. This is worrying, as evaluation has shown 10-20% of autopsies result in findings which could have influenced the course and treatment of the disease if they had been known about in time. Post-mortem imaging or virtual autopsy may be an alternative. However, a number of practical matters have to be taken into consideration before virtual autopsy becomes widely-accepted practice. These include availability of a CT scanner on request, the logistics of complex procedures on the deceased, new forms of expertise, co-operation between pathologist and radiologist, and financing.
authors.affiliation: Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, afd. Pathologie, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. hansblaauwgeers@pathology.nl
authors.forename: J L G Hans
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Blaauwgeers
authors.forename: Rick R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: van Rijn
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010336:Pathology / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D014584:User-Computer Interface