Autopsy Procedures and Terminology Quiz

Types and Procedures of Autopsy

• Autopsies are conducted for two main purposes: hospital/non-official autopsy for medical purposes and medico-legal/official autopsy for legal purposes.
• Hospital/non-official autopsy requires consent from relatives, while medico-legal/official autopsy is conducted when the dead body belongs to the state for public interest.
• The external examination in autopsy includes a head-to-toe detailed inspection of the body, noting tattoos, scars, deformities, and injuries, and describing the position of stab or gunshot wounds.
• All findings in autopsy are documented in a final written report and photographs with a ruler and label for identification.
• Autopsy incisions include Y incision for men, T incision for women, and U incision for forensic pathology, which focuses on the muscles of the neck and the hyoid bone.
• After the incisions, the neck organs, muscles, and the ribcage are examined and dissected, and the chest cavity is exposed for examination.
• Samples of blood, urine, organs, and tissues are collected and saved for toxicological and microscopic examination.
• The organs and tissues are returned to the body cavity and the incisions are sutured.
• The forensic pathologist lists all findings in a provisional anatomic diagnoses section of the autopsy report.
• If the cause and manner of death are readily apparent, these can be listed in the autopsy report and on the death certificate.
• If the cause and manner of death are not immediately apparent, the forensic pathologist will sign a provisional death certificate as either "pending further studies" or "pending further studies and police investigation."
• If the cause of death is apparent, the forensic pathologist may sign the death certificate and add "circumstances pending police investigation (CPPI)" for unknown circumstances.

Test your knowledge on the types and procedures of autopsy with this informative quiz. From hospital/non-official autopsy to medico-legal/official autopsy, learn about the different purposes and requirements for conducting an autopsy. Explore the external examination process, autopsy incisions, and the dissection of organs and tissues. This quiz also covers the documentation of findings and the provisional anatomic diagnoses section of the autopsy report. Sharpen your understanding of autopsy procedures and terminology with this quiz.