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

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA, USA

    Andrew N. Laczniak

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa, IA, 52242, USA

    Yutaka Sato

  3. Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA, USA

    Marcus Nashelsky

Authors
  1. Andrew N. Laczniak
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  2. Yutaka Sato
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  3. Marcus Nashelsky
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Correspondence to Yutaka Sato.

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Laczniak, A.N., Sato, Y. & Nashelsky, M. Postmortem gastric perforation (gastromalacia) mimicking abusive injury in sudden unexplained infant death. Pediatr Radiol 41, 1595–1597 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-011-2061-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-011-2061-z

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