Diagnostic Contribution of Histopathology in Medicolegal Autopsy: A Denominator-Specific Systematic Review

Background/Objectives: Published estimates of histopathological examination (HPE) contribution in medicolegal autopsy use different denominators and outcome definitions. We examined what these estimates measure and their implications for practice.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to 31 May 2026 (PROSPERO CRD420261401909). Eligible studies reported denominator-specific HPE contribution. Cause of death (COD) provision and change were distinguished from manner change, confirmation, refinement, and targeted forensic interpretation. JBI checklists supported item-level appraisal. Findings were synthesized narratively without pooling.