Forensic Pathology & Autopsy Study Guide

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to forensic pathology and autopsy procedures.

Autopsy

A detailed and careful medical examination of a person’s body and its organs after death, to help establish the cause of death.

Cause of Death

The specific injury or disease that leads to a person’s death.

Manner of Death

The way in which a death occurred, classified into categories such as natural, homicide, accidental, suicide, or undetermined.

Rigor Mortis

The stiffening of the muscles after death due to chemical changes in the body, beginning within 1-2 hours after death and full rigor occurring in 8-12 hours.

Livor Mortis

The pooling of blood in the lowest parts of the body after death due to gravity, beginning 1-2 hours after death and becoming fixed at 6-8 hours.

Algor Mortis

The cooling of the body after death, with a loss of temperature typically of 0.75°C per hour for the first 12 hours.

Forensic Pathologist

A medical doctor specialized in determining the cause of death by examining bodies after death.

Brain Aneurysm

A bulging, weak area in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain that can rupture and cause bleeding, leading to death.

Exsanguination

Severe loss of blood that can result in death, often associated with traumatic injuries.

DNA Evidence

Biological material that can be examined to identify individuals, collected during autopsies and investigations.

Temporal Loss of Body Temperature

The calculation of the time since death based on the decrease in body temperature, using specific temperature loss rates.

Stomach Contents Analysis

The examination of undigested substances in the stomach to estimate the time of death based on the last meal consumed.

Medical Examiner Responsibilities

Duties include collecting bodies, determining time and cause of death during autopsies, and testifying in court.