Utilization of Digital Pathology for Medical Autopsy: A Single Institution Experience
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Abstract
Background: While the frequency of medical autopsies has declined in recent decades, they remain critical for medical education, quality assurance, and understanding disease processes. Digital pathology has gained traction across pathology subspecialties. But its application in medical autopsy workflows remains unrecognized. This study evaluates the utility of digital pathology in the autopsy setting.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult medical autopsies performed from January 2018 to December 2024 at a tertiary care academic institution. Whole-slide imaging (WSI) was utilized for all autopsy specimens during this period. The data collected included patient demographics, time to final report, use of immunohistochemistry (IHC), digital consultation frequency, and use of digital images for educational or publishing purposes.
Results: Fifty autopsies were reviewed. Patient ages ranged from 18 to 88 years. The average report turnaround time was 24 days (range, 2-44 days). Digital pathology facilitated intradepartmental consultation in 36 cases (72%) and supported IHC interpretation in 32 cases (64%). Digital images were used for academic or teaching purposes in 25 cases (50%).
Conclusion: Digital pathology enhances medical autopsy workflow by improving collaborative diagnostics, supporting ancillary testing, and expanding opportunities for teaching and research. These findings suggest that integrating digital tools into autopsy practice enhances its educational and diagnostic relevance in modern pathology.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Asghar I, et al.
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