Purpose or Case Report: The purpose of this exhibit is to describe the expected physiological post-mortem changes in the fetus and children using different imaging modalities. These post-mortem changes are affected by a variety of antemortem and postmortem factors, amongst all, the age of the fetus or child, the organ system in question, and the extent of fluid shifts and tissue changes are the most crucial and help to guide the imaging modality of choice in post-mortem period. It is imperative to understand organ-system-specific post-mortem changes for satisfactory reporting of post-mortem imaging in children. When in doubt, a review of perimortem clinical details and a correlation with antemortem/antenatal imaging findings may assist in reaching the final diagnosis.
Methods & Materials: 1. To describe the spectrum of normal PMI findings in pediatrics from head to toe.
2. To highlight the role of different imaging modalities in the postmortem evaluation of various organ systems.
3. To discuss the physiological changes mimicking pathology and how to differentiate them.
Results: 1. A comprehensive discussion of the process of postmortem change and its effect on postmortem imaging appearance.
2. Illustrate the expected physiological postmortem findings of the various organ system.
3. Highlight the differentiating features of normal postmortem finding that mimics pathology.
4. Illustrate the role of conventional imaging modalities and advanced imaging sequences in the postmortem evaluation.
Conclusions: The role of conventional autopsy (CA) in the postmortem evaluation of the deceased child is undisputed but the acceptance rate among families is low. Alternatively, post-mortem imaging (PMI) is less invasive and suitable to parents for postmortem evaluation. However, recognising normal physiological post-mortem changes can pose a great challenge to the radiologist in the interpretation of post-mortem findings. Certain imaging findings that are pathological during life can be normal in the deceased child. Recognizing these physiological changes in the post-mortem period allows for appropriate interpretation of the pathological findings and could help in assessing the post-mortem interval.