Following an extended period of online consultation, a set of standardised best practice scenarios has been written to cover specific autopsy situations. They have been written by the RCPath Working Party on the Autopsy and incorporate the feedback received from members.

The scenarios aim to facilitate the improvement of standards of autopsy performance and reporting, and comprise the most common types of autopsy and those where audit has shown that standards of performance and reporting were frequently poor.

NB These scenarios supplement and replace some sections of the College's 2002 Guidelines on Autopsy Practice.

To download the new scenarios, with an introduction by Professor Sebastian Lucas, please click on the titles below.

Important addition to Autopsy Guidelines (Nov 2007)
Coronial autopsies and current practice: Accuracy of cause of death and tissue sampling

Introduction: Scenarios for specific types of death (Jan 2005)

Scenario 1: Sudden death with likely cardiac pathology (Jan 2005)

Scenario 2: Autopsy for sickle cell disease and sickle trait (Jan 2005)

Scenario 3: Suspected illicit drugs (Jan 2005, updated Sept 2005)

Scenario 4: Autopsy for suspected acute anaphylaxis
(including anaphylactic shock and anaphylactic asthma)(Jan 2005)

Scenario 5: Maternal death (Jan 2005, updated May 2010)

Scenario 6: Deaths associated with epilepsy (Jan 2005)

Scenario 7: Industrial/occupational-related lung disease deaths including asbestos (Jan 2005)

Scenario 8: Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) (Jan 2005)

Scenario 9: Stillborn infant (singleton) (Jun 2006)

Scenario 10: Neonatal death (Jun 2006)


Scenario 11: Neuropathology autopsy practice: post mortem examination in patients with traumatic brain injury (April 2010)