# Post mortem lab tests

**URL:** <https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154>\
**Category:** general-discussion\
**Created:** [May 26, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154 "2022-05-26T13:49:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rataredif](https://forum.loinc.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/87869e/32.png) [@rataredif](https://forum.loinc.org/u/rataredif)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154/1 "2022-05-26T13:49:37Z")

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Does anyone know if there are specific lab tests that are performed **only** post mortem, such as during an autopsy? If so, is there a way to get a list of the LOINC codes for those? I’m finding only post mortem imaging items at this point.

Thank you.

Robin Tardif

Ontologist

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**Author:** ![pdbanning](https://forum.loinc.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/9f8e36/32.png) [@pdbanning](https://forum.loinc.org/u/pdbanning)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 10:02am UTC](https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154/2 "2022-05-27T10:02:12Z")

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Hello Robin,

I searched by keywords autopsy and forensics and did not come up with laboratory assays. I don’t believe they have been requested before. If you have specific lab tests in mind, I would be happy to help you formulate a submission. Just curious, if the bolded word “only” in your message indicates biomarkers or chemistries not performed on live patients?

Thank you for the question,

Pam

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**Author:** ![rataredif](https://forum.loinc.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/87869e/32.png) [@rataredif](https://forum.loinc.org/u/rataredif)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154/3 "2022-05-27T12:00:22Z")

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Hi Pam.

Thank you for your response. I was able to pull a list using the words ‘dead’, ‘death’, and ‘post mortem’. I was mostly interested in lab tests, but I was able to get what I needed. And yes, I bolded the word ‘only’ because I wanted tests that are not performed on live patients.

I work for a company, Integra Connect, that has, and is expanding, a database of de-identified oncology patient information for use by providers, pharmaceutical companies, R&D companies, etc., to research oncology treatment plans. The data can be pulled down to the patient level, but the data can in no way lead back to a specific patient (HIPAA). So, we want to make sure that a user cannot identify a patient as deceased, since general location information is also available. By obtaining a list of LOINC codes that pertain to deceased patients, we can exclude those as part of our de-identification process.

Thank you for your help with this.

Robin

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**Author:** ![system](https://forum.loinc.org/uploads/default/original/1X/dbab97ce9b2987d788a376e254fcaae249f3b672.png) [@system](https://forum.loinc.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://forum.loinc.org/t/post-mortem-lab-tests/1154/4 "2023-06-23T15:36:50Z")

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