The significance of postmortem radiographs in infants

The radiographs of 108 infants were analyzed prospectively before autopsy to correlate radiographic findings with those found at the postmortem examination. There was poor correlation between radiographs and autopsy findings when pulmonary pathology was present, and there was no gut pathology when radiographs revealed portal venous air. The radiographs were most helpful when either bony abnormalities (that is, fractures or congenital abnormalities) or free air were found before autopsy.