A non-surgical autopsy technique which could remove the need to open up the body to determine a cause of death has been developed.

It involves a scanner and a small incision in the neck and has so far been shown to be 80% accurate in determining the cause of death.

Conventional post-mortem examinations require cutting open the body so the vital organs can be inspected.

The method has been developed by the University of Leicester.

The conventional autopsy process can be distressing for the family and is opposed by some communities on religious grounds.

The University of Leicester team use a Computed Tomography or CT scanner to search externally for trauma, fractures and cancers throughout the body.

But a further technique is required to fully investigate the heart.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12616550http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12109847