A practical guide to post-mortem selective cervical angiography in a regional institution

When a cervicocerebral dissection syndrome (CDS) is amongst the potential causes of death, investigation of the arteries is required. Whilst the proximal common carotid arteries (CCA) are relatively easy to interrogate at post-mortem (PM), assessment of the vertebral arteries (VA) is more challenging. Post-mortem selective cervical angiography (PM-SCA) provides a method to visualise these arteries to replace or guide further dissection. Our institution does not have dedicated radiological facilities; we are reliant on availability in the general hospital of both equipment and staffing. In addition, there is an expectation of the release of the body within 24 h. Therefore, our methods have to be time-efficient, flexible and suitable for available staff. The current paper aims to describe the indications for the procedure, the method as completed in our institution, imaging findings and problem solving.