Whole-Body MRI Virtual Autopsy Using Diffusion-weighted Imaging With Background Suppression (DWIBS) at 3 T in a Child Succumbing to Chordoma.

BACKGROUND: We report the use of diffusion-weighted imaging with background suppression (DWIBS) in pediatric virtual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) autopsy of a child who succumbed to chordoma.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 10-year-old girl who succumbed to relapse of a chordoma underwent whole-body virtual MRI autopsy 12 hours postmortem with short Tau inversion recovery (STIR) and DWIBS on 3 T, which demonstrated the primary mass, local and cardiac invasion, and metastatic disease to the thorax, abdomen, head/neck, and musculoskeletal system.

CONCLUSIONS: Postmortem virtual MRI autopsy including DWIBS successfully demonstrated the transthoracic spread of chordoma and invasion of the heart, resulting in blood-borne metastases. Motion and respiratory artifact were not factors during virtual autopsy using DWIBS on 3 T, making ideal use of this technology.