The post mortem findings in 200 autopsies were compared with the clinical diagnoses. Twenty diseases were analysed with respect to clinico-pathological correlation. In relation to the respective totals the diseases most frequently missed clinically were (false negative) pyelonephrites (100%), pulmonary embolus (87.50%) and bronchopneumonia (58.16%). In relation to the respective totals the clinical diagnoses less frequently confirmed (false positive) were tuberculosis (69.56%), paracoccidioidomycosis (57.14%), sepsis (53.13%) and Chagas'disease (44.44%). There was clinico-pathological agreement in 97 autopsies (48.50%). In 19 cases (9.50%) if the diagnostic error had been detected during life this probably would have changes the prognosis. The findings are discussed in the light of previous studies. The importance of routine post-mortem examination and clinico-pathological correlation is stressed.
Diagnosis; Autopsy; Diagnostic error; Evaluation
