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Review
. 2001 May;50(2):290-300.
doi: 10.1016/s0008-6363(01)00261-9.

Postmortem diagnosis in sudden cardiac death victims: macroscopic, microscopic and molecular findings

C Basso  1 , F Calabrese, D Corrado, G Thiene
Affiliations
Review

Postmortem diagnosis in sudden cardiac death victims: macroscopic, microscopic and molecular findings

C Basso et al. Cardiovasc Res. 2001 May.
No abstract available

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A 17-year-old, previously asymptomatic, boy who died suddenly at rest. View of the heart specimen removed at autopsy which is grossly normal. At histology, the left ventricular myocardium shows a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate associated with myocyte necrosis (hematoxylin—eosin ×240). Immunohistochemistry reveals a massive T lymphocytes infiltrate (CD43 ×240). Agarose gel electrophoresis showing enteroviral RT-PCR results: Lanes: 1, DNA molecular-weight-marker (pUCBM21 DNA cleaved with Hpa II and Dra I plus Hind III) 2, RT-PCR amplified products of patient's specimen (coxsackievirus B3 KB infected cells) 3, negative control (uninfected cells) 4, RT-PCR amplified products of positive control (coxsackievirus B3 KB infected cells).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A 19-year-old athlete who died suddenly at rest. A transverse section at the level of first tract of left anterior descending coronary artery reveals a concentric, fibrocellular atherosclerotic plaque which is completely devoid of lipids (Heidenhain trichrome ×12).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A 16-year-old boy with previous history of syncope who died suddenly on effort. Long axis cut of the heart specimen: note the asymmetric septal hypertrophy with subaortic bulging and septal endocardial fibrous plaque; histology of the interventricular septum reveals typical myocardial disarray with interstitial fibrosis (Heidenhain trichrome ×47).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
A 35-year-old man with a previous history of palpitations and negative T waves in V1–V2 who died suddenly at rest. Gross view of the RV outflow tract showing massive fatty replacement of the free wall myocardium; At histology, the RV infundibulum shows transmural fatty replacement of the atrophic myocardium (Heidenhain trichrome ×3).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A 24-year-old boy who died suddenly at rest due to massive cardiac tamponade. Gross view of the ascending aorta: note the intimal tear just above a functionally normal bicuspid aortic valve; Histology of the ascending aorta shows severe atrophy and fragmentation of elastic lamellae (Weigert van Gieson ×60).
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