Rationale In a very short time corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with high morbidity and mortality. The main cause of death is respiratory failure including acute respiratory distress syndrome, however the exact mechanisms and other underlying pathology is currently not yet known. In the current setting of the COVID-19 pandemic complete autopsies seem too risky due to the risk of SARS CoV-2 transmission. Yet, as so little is known, additional histopathological, microbiological and virologic study of tissue of deceased COVID-19 patients will provide important clinical and pathophysiological information. Minimal invasive autopsy combined with postmortem imaging seems therefore an optimal method combining safety on the one hand yet proving significant information on the other. This study aims to determine the cause of death and attributable conditions in deceased COVID-19 patients. This will be performed using post-mortem CT-scanning plus CT-guided MIA to obtain tissue for further histological, microbiological and pathological diagnostics. In addition, the pathophysiology of COVID-19 will be examined by further tissue analysis.
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Determination of cause of death and contributing factors based on clinical, radiological, microbiological and histopathological data of the deceased patient
Timeframe: up to one month