[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-243879-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":80,"doc-detail-243879-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","how-to-report-perinatal-and-paediatric-postmortem-ct-a-pragmatic-standardised-reporting-framework","How to report perinatal and paediatric postmortem CT - A pragmatic standardised reporting framework","","Postmortem CT (PMCT) has gained acceptance alongside skeletal surveys as a key investigation in childhood deaths, used both when parents choose non-invasive examinations and within forensic evaluations. Although acquisition protocols are relatively standard, reporting quality varies substantially across reporters’ experience. The central risk is over-interpreting normal postmortem physiology as pathology, causing misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis. This article proposes a pragmatic standardised reporting framework, built from a decade of local practice, with illustrative positive and negative findings to support consistent interpretation.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/general/","General",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/how-to-report-perinatal-and-paediatric-postmortem-ct-a-pragmatic-standardised-reporting-framework/243879/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-report-perinatal-and-paediatric-postmortem-ct-a-pragmatic-standardised-reporting-framework/243879.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Lucas Martin","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-20","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"Why is postmortem CT reporting variability a concern in childhood deaths?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"CT acquisition protocols can be relatively standard, but reporting remains highly variable depending on reporter experience and expertise, which affects consistency and interpretation.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"What is the main risk when reporting postmortem CT in children?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Over-interpretation of normal physiological postmortem changes as pathological findings can lead to misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"How does the article propose improving PMCT reporting?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"It presents a pragmatic, standardised reporting framework developed over a decade, including examples of positive and negative findings, to guide less experienced reporters.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},243879,1789209631,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,88,93,98,103,108,113,118,123],{"id":84,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":89,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":90,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"general-158",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":127},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":124,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":94,"language":135,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":79,"read_time":121},8796095360427,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Shelmerdine and Arthurs Insights into Imaging (2024)15:129  \n[https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-024-01698-5](https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-024-01698-5)  \nEDUCATIONAL REVIEW Open Access  \nHow to report perinatal and paediatric postmortem CT  \nSusan C. Shelmerdine 1,2,3*  and Owen J. Arthurs 1,2,3  \nAbstract  \nPostmortem CT (PMCT) has become increasingly accepted alongside skeletal surveys as a critical part of investigation in childhood deaths, either as part of a suite of non-invasive investigations through parental choice, or comprehensive evaluation in a forensic setting. Whilst CT image acquisition and protocols have been published and are relatively standardised, CT imaging reporting remains highly variable, largely dependent upon reporter experience and expertise. The main “risk” in PMCT is the over-interpretation of normal physiological changes on imaging as pathological, potentially leading to misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis of the disease. In this article, we present a pragmatic standardised reporting framework, developed over a decade of PMCT reporting in children in our institution, with examples of positive and negative findings, so that it may aid in the interpretation of PMCT images with those less experienced in paediatric findings and postmortem imaging.  \nCritical relevance statement Standardised reporting using a common framework with a sound understanding of normal postmortem changes that occur in children are crucial in avoiding common reporting errors at postmortem CT. Key Points  \n● Familiarity with postmortem imaging is required for useful image reporting, and reporting standards vary.  \n● Understanding normal postmortem change from significant abnormalities requires training and experience.  \n● Following a template may remind reporters what to include and help improve performance.  \n*Correspondence: Susan C Shelmerdine  \n[susan.shelmerdine@gosh.nhs.uk](susan.shelmerdine@gosh.nhs.uk)  \nFull list of author information is available at the end of the article  \n© The Author(s) 2024 . Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4 . 0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) .  \n\n| Keywords Radiology, Autopsy, Paediatric, Postmortem, CT |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Graphical Abstract |  |\n| \u003Cbr>How to report perinatal and paediatric postmortem CT\u003Cbr>Variation of normal appearances in PMCT axial slices across six different newborn patients\u003Cbr>Use of a common standardised reporting framework and a sound understanding of normal postmortem changes that occur in children are crucial to avoiding common reporting errors at postmortem CT.\u003Cbr>Insights Imaging (2024) Shelmerdine SC, Arthurs OJ.\u003Cbr>DOI: 10. 1186/s13244-024-01698-5 |  |\n|  |  |\n\nIntroduction  \nCross-sectional postmortem imaging is becoming increasingly accepted alongside skeletal surveys as a critical part of the investigation into childhood deaths. Broadly, postmortem imaging is used as a non-invasive investigation in one of three ways: through parental choice (if perinatal), for coronial or medical examiner purposes (where death is non-suspicious but unexplained), or as part of a comprehensive evaluation in a forensic setting (if circumstances are potentially suspicious).  \nWh","cbCaibyeXuIbxz69","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibyeXuIbxz69","pdf",4382112,"English","# Introduction\n## Clinical use of postmortem imaging\n## Limitations and need for standardisation\n# Abstract\n## Acceptance of PMCT and variability in reporting\n## Key risk: over-interpretation\n## Proposed pragmatic reporting framework\n# Critical relevance statement and Key Points\n## Reporting requirements and training\n## Template-based consistency","[{\"question\":\"Why is postmortem CT reporting variability a concern in childhood deaths?\",\"answer\":\"CT acquisition protocols can be relatively standard, but reporting remains highly variable depending on reporter experience and expertise, which affects consistency and interpretation.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the main risk when reporting postmortem CT in children?\",\"answer\":\"Over-interpretation of normal physiological postmortem changes as pathological findings can lead to misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the article propose improving PMCT reporting?\",\"answer\":\"It presents a pragmatic, standardised reporting framework developed over a decade, including examples of positive and negative findings, to guide less experienced reporters.\"}]","How to report perinatal and paediatric postmortem CT - A pragmatic standardised reporting framework | PDF"]