Postmortem gastric perforation (gastromalacia) mimicking abusive injury in sudden unexplained infant death

Gastromalacia is a postmortem autolysis of gastric tissue that can culminate in gastric perforation. This entity is well-recognized by pathologists but is rarely encountered by diagnostic radiologists. We are reporting a case of sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) in which a boy was found to have...

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Published inPediatric radiology Vol. 41; no. 12; pp. 1595 - 1597
Main Authors Laczniak, Andrew N., Sato, Yutaka, Nashelsky, Marcus
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.12.2011
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Case Report
Child Abuse - diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Imaging
Infant
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Neuroradiology
Nuclear Medicine
Oncology
Pediatrics
Postmortem Changes
Radiography
Radiology
Rupture, Spontaneous
Stomach - diagnostic imaging
Stomach - injuries
Stomach - pathology
Stomach Rupture - diagnosis
Sudden Infant Death - diagnosis
Ultrasound
Gastromalacia
Postmortem artifact
Child abuse
Intestinal perforation
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Summary:Gastromalacia is a postmortem autolysis of gastric tissue that can culminate in gastric perforation. This entity is well-recognized by pathologists but is rarely encountered by diagnostic radiologists. We are reporting a case of sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) in which a boy was found to have pneumoperitoneum on postmortem radiographs, subsequently proved by autopsy to be caused by postmortem gastric perforation resulting from gastromalacia. It is important for radiologists to recognize this entity so as not to mistake it for bowel perforation caused by antemortem pathology, including inflicted trauma.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Case Study-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-4
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ObjectType-Report-1
ObjectType-Article-3
ISSN:0301-0449
1432-1998
DOI:10.1007/s00247-011-2061-z