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The autopsy: a useful tool or an old relic?
S J Peacock1, D Machin, C E Duboulay
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, U.K.
The Journal of Pathology
|September 1, 1988
Summary
Autopsy rates remained stable but shifted from hospitals to coroners. Both clinicians and pathologists value autopsies for diagnosis, teaching, and research, despite diagnostic advances.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Pathology
- Clinical Diagnosis
Background:
- Autopsy rates have been a subject of debate due to advancements in diagnostic technologies.
- Understanding trends in autopsy utilization and perceptions is crucial for medical education and quality improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze changes in autopsy rates over time.
- To evaluate the attitudes of clinicians and pathologists towards the autopsy.
- To assess the accuracy of ante-mortem diagnoses compared to autopsy findings.
Main Methods:
- Combined retrospective and prospective study design.
- Analysis of clinical and autopsy data from 1962 to 1986.
- Questionnaire-based assessment of clinician and pathologist attitudes.
Main Results:
- Overall autopsy rates remained constant, with a decrease in hospital autopsies and an increase in coroner-requested autopsies.
- Males were more frequently autopsied than females, and autopsy rates decreased with age.
- Most clinicians and pathologists affirmed the autopsy's value in diagnosis, teaching, research, and guiding future patient treatment.
- Clinician-diagnosed causes of death were inaccurate in 12 out of 60 cases.
Conclusions:
- The autopsy remains a valuable tool in modern medicine, despite evolving diagnostic capabilities.
- Pathologists and clinicians largely support the continued use and importance of autopsies.
- There is a perceived need for more hospital-requested autopsies to ensure diagnostic accuracy and medical education.