Why a Brain Examination May Add Findings After the Initial Autopsy

Saukko and Knight describe how fixation firms brain tissue and helps preserve its microscopic structure. This can permit more precise examination of sections than is possible in softened tissue. The preparation takes time, so some findings may become available after the initial examination.

When reviewing reports issued on different dates, check the stage of the examination each describes. A later report may address structures that could be examined in more detail once the tissue was prepared.

Saukko and Knight, Knight’s Forensic Pathology, 3rd ed. (2004), p. 28