Perinatal autopsy is the standard method for investigating fetal death; however, it requires dissection of the fetus. Human fetal microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT) provides a generally more acceptable and less invasive imaging alternative for bereaved parents to determine the cause of early pregnancy loss compared with conventional autopsy techniques. In this protocol, we describe the four main stages required to image fetuses using micro-CT. Preparation of the fetus includes staining with the contrast agent potassium triiodide and takes 3–19 d, depending on the size of the fetus and the time taken to obtain consent for the procedure. Setup for imaging requires appropriate positioning of the fetus and takes 1 h. The actual imaging takes, on average, 2 h 40 min and involves initial test scans followed by high-definition diagnostic scans. Postimaging, 3 d are required to postprocess the fetus, including removal of the stain, and also to undertake artifact recognition and data transfer. This procedure produces high-resolution isotropic datasets, allowing for radio-pathological interpretations to be made and long-term digital archiving for re-review and data sharing, where required. The protocol can be undertaken following appropriate training, which includes both the use of micro-CT techniques and handling of postmortem tissue.

围产期尸检是调查胎儿死亡的标准方法；但是，它需要解剖胎儿。与传统尸检技术相比，人类胎儿微焦点计算机断层扫描 (micro-CT) 为失去亲人的父母提供了一种普遍更可接受且侵入性更小的成像替代方法，以确定早孕流产的原因。在本协议中，我们描述了使用微 CT 对胎儿进行成像所需的四个主要阶段。胎儿的准备包括用造影剂三碘化钾染色，需要 3-19 天，具体取决于胎儿的大小和获得手术同意所需的时间。成像设置需要对胎儿进行适当定位，需要 1 小时。实际成像平均需要 2 小时 40 分钟，包括初始测试扫描和随后的高清诊断扫描。后成像，需要 3 d 对胎儿进行后处理，包括去除污渍，以及进行伪影识别和数据传输。此过程生成高分辨率各向同性数据集，允许进行放射病理学解释和长期数字存档，以便在需要时进行重新审查和数据共享。该协议可以在适当的培训后进行，其中包括使用微 CT 技术和处理死后组织。