Imaging the deceased advances paediatric autopsy practice
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Owen Arthurs of Great Ormond Street Hospital and Rick van Rijn of Amsterdam University Medical Centers led a decade-long effort to standardise postmortem imaging for children.
In 2015, the two radiologists noted that learning from the deceased, “mortui vivos docent” in Latin, was a fragmented practice. They revisited this idea in 2026, finding that fetal and paediatric postmortem imaging had evolved into a more organised field with international guidelines.
Conventional autopsies, while long considered standard, face declining consent rates due to religious, cultural, and emotional reasons. Postmortem computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging offer less-invasive alternatives to gather diagnostic information while respecting family wishes. The European Society of Paediatric Radiology established a task force in 2016 to address inconsistent practices and create consensus-based guidance. This group developed standardised protocols for imaging, beginning with computed tomography in 2019 and expanding to magnetic resonance imaging in 2024 and 2025.
Crucially, they focused on standardised reporting to ensure consistent and reliable results across different medical centres. A 2018 study comparing chest radiographs with computed tomography helped establish diagnostic accuracy for skeletal injuries. Though funding and implementation remain challenges, particularly in North America, a 2026 multi-society statement signals a global commitment to integrating this technology into clinical practice.
