Forensic Pathology Lecture Vocabulary

A set of key vocabulary terms and definitions from the forensic pathology lecture to aid exam preparation.

Medical Examiner

A physician (usually forensic pathologist) who investigates deaths, performs autopsies, and determines cause, manner, and mechanism of death.

Four Functions of a Medical Examiner

Identify the deceased, notify next of kin, establish time/date of death, and determine cause, manner, and mechanism of death.

Livor Mortis

Post-mortem reddish-purple discoloration from blood settling by gravity; begins ~30 min after death and fixes permanently after 15–42 hrs.

Blanching Test

Pressing two fingers on discolored skin; if it turns white then red, lividity is not fixed (

Post-Mortem Lividity (PML)

Analysis of livor mortis used to estimate time since death and indicate if a body has been moved.

Carbon Monoxide Lividity

Bright cherry-red discoloration indicating CO or cyanide poisoning.

Rigor Mortis

Post-mortem stiffening of muscles due to lactic acid accumulation and pH shift; starts with face/fingers/toes and progresses downward.

Progression of Rigor

1–12 hrs: increasing stiffness; next 12 hrs: full rigidity; ~24 hrs: rigidity dissipates starting with jaw; ~36 hrs: no rigidity.

Vitreous Potassium Test

Measuring K⁺ concentration in eye fluid; most accurate chemical method for estimating time of death.

Algor Mortis

Cooling of the body after death; core temperature drops 1.5–2 °F per hour for first 12 hrs, then 0.5–1 °F each hour; affected by mass and environment.

Putrefaction

Bacterial decomposition producing green abdominal staining and CO₂ gas that causes bloating.

Marbling

Green-purple branching discoloration of skin during decomposition.

Putrescine

Foul-smelling compound responsible for the nauseating odor of decomposition.

Mummification

Dehydration of a body leading to leathery skin; common in dry environments or infant deaths.

Manner of Death

Broad classification: homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, or unknown.

Cause of Death

General to specific 1–3 word description of what killed the person (e.g., “gunshot wound,” “drug overdose”).

Mechanism of Death

Specific physiological process leading to death, stated in medical terms (e.g., “respiratory failure due to obstructed airway”).

Pre-existing Condition (Contributory Cause)

An illness or condition present before death that contributes to but does not directly cause death (e.g., asthma).

Stenosis

Obstruction or narrowing of the aortic valve observed during heart autopsy.

Ventricular Fibrillation

Irregular, uncoordinated heartbeats that can be detected during autopsy of the heart.

BUN Test

Blood Urea Nitrogen test; evaluates kidney function during autopsy.

Cirrhosis

Chronic liver disease characterized by scarring and fatty tissue replacing healthy liver tissue.

Pulmonary Edema

Fluid accumulation in lung alveoli; common in drownings, drug overdoses, and heart failure.

Petechial Hemorrhage

Pinpoint capillary ruptures, especially in the eyes, indicative of strangulation or asphyxia.

Hyoid Bone Fracture

Break in the small neck bone often signaling manual strangulation.

Cyanosis

Blue discoloration of lips/fingertips due to low oxygen levels, seen in asphyxia cases.

Sharp Force Trauma

Injuries caused by knives or similar instruments; includes slices (defense wounds) and stabs that may reach organs.

Blunt Force Trauma

Injury from non-sharp objects causing contusions, abrasions, fractures; opposite-side brain contusions are severe.

Gunshot Entrance Wound

Smaller, neater hole where bullet enters; often shows abrasion ring.

Gunshot Exit Wound

Larger, irregular wound where bullet exits due to tumbling and tissue damage.

Muzzle Imprint

Burned outline left when a hot gun muzzle is pressed against skin during firing.

Tattooing and Stippling

Small powder burns and embedded residues around a close-range gunshot entrance wound.

Pugilistic Position

Boxer-like posture of fire victims caused by heat-induced muscle contraction.

Cherry-Red Lividity

Bright red skin coloration associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Positional Asphyxiation

Death due to body position preventing adequate breathing, a type of suffocation.

SIDS / SADS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Sudden Adult Death Syndrome; unexplained natural deaths during sleep.

Subdural Hematoma

Blood clot between dura mater and brain, often from head trauma.

Subarachnoid Hematoma

Bleeding into the space around the brain, frequently caused by aneurysm rupture.

Intracerebral Hematoma

Accumulation of free blood within brain tissue itself.

Vomitus Drowning ("Vomitos Amigos")

Fatal aspiration of one’s own vomit, blocking airways and causing suffocation.

Skin Popping

Subcutaneous injection of drugs, leaving characteristic scars or abscesses.