New £1.2m autopsy centre to open in Sandwell
It is only the third facility of its type in the country.
A new £1.2million autopsy centre in Sandwell will allow post mortems to be carried out without the deceased having to go under the knife thanks to advanced technology.
The facility uses a £500,000 body scanner, the same type of scanner used in hospitals, but increases the levels of radiography to allow for a high-quality 3D image of the body to be created.
Bosses at the centre, which is based at Sandwell Valley Crematorium, say it will allow 70 per cent of post mortems to be carried out without the need for an invasive open post mortem to be used.
Professor Peter Gaines, consultant radiologist at the centre, said: "We can take the digital information that the body scanner provides and the software we have recreates that for us in 3D.
"It is phenomenally advanced software. What it means for the relatives who are grieving a loved one is this will give them the cause of death quicker, easier and without opening up the body and doing an open post mortem."
The facility, which is open for anyone in the country to use, but will be free for residents of Sandwell, will start taking in bodies on November 24.
The company that will operate the facility, Malaysian-based iGene, are opening 18 other centres over the coming months.
Senior coroner for the Black Country, Mr Zafar Siddique, said he was impressed with the facilities.
He said: "I think it represents a real opportunity to explore different ways of doing a post mortem, particularly non-invasive post mortems.
"I am very keen to use digital technology where possible to help. It is such a traumatic experience losing a loved one, anything we can do to help the family, including doing a post mortem, we will do.
"It's impressive and just goes to show what can be achieved. I will be keen to watch and see how it will develop and see the potential benefits it has."
