autopsy
Coroner's surgical inquiry
An autopsy is an examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
A medical examiner or pathologist performs it by dissecting the corpse and examining organs, tissues, and fluids.
Autopsies may be required by law in cases of suspicious or unexplained death: The autopsy revealed traces of poison.
Figuratively, an autopsy is any after-the-fact analysis of a failure: The team conducted an autopsy of the failed product launch.
Corpse holding facility
- coronerPublic death investigator
- medical examinerPhysician determining death causes
- forensic pathologistDoctor investigating suspicious deaths
- sterileFree from microorganisms
gloves · cadaver · body bag · refrigeration · drainage · ventilation · stainless steel · bright lights
Facts supporting truth
- cause of deathWhy someone died
- manner of deathHow life ended, officially
- homicide investigationExamining a killing officially
- toxicologyScience of poisons
ballistics · time of death · crime scene · chain of custody · testimony · court · detective · murder
Lasting psychological wound
- asphyxiationDeath from oxygen loss
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
- embolismObstruction in blood vessel
infarction · contusion · laceration · fracture · organ failure · disease · infection · natural causes
Anatomical cutting and examination
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- scalpelPrecise surgical knife
- probeThorough examination or tool
sutures · specimen · histology · tissue samples · Y-incision · weighing · documentation · photography
morgue
Corpse holding facility
- coronerPublic death investigator
- medical examinerPhysician determining death causes
- forensic pathologistDoctor investigating suspicious deaths
sterile · gloves · cadaver · body bag · refrigeration · drainage · ventilation · stainless steel · bright lights · scale
evidence
Facts supporting truth
- cause of deathWhy someone died
- manner of deathHow life ended, officially
- homicide investigationExamining a killing officially
toxicology · ballistics · time of death · crime scene · chain of custody · testimony · court · detective · murder · suspicious death
trauma
Lasting psychological wound
- asphyxiationDeath from oxygen loss
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
embolism · infarction · contusion · laceration · fracture · organ failure · disease · infection · natural causes · lividity
dissection
Anatomical cutting and examination
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- scalpelPrecise surgical knife
probe · sutures · specimen · histology · tissue samples · Y-incision · weighing · documentation · photography · sectioning
- Auto- wordsautomobile, autopilot, autocorrect, autobiography, autograph
- examinationsexam, examination, checkup, reexamination, recheck
- forensic pathologycoroner, medical examiner, cause of death, pathologist, postmortem
- forensicsDNA, DNA analysis, fingerprints, forensics, criminalistics
- death lawdeath certificate, death certificates, death tax, death penalty, death benefits
- forensic methodsfingerprinting, DNA testing, forensics, ballistics, toxicology
autopsyvivisection
Surgery on living animals
biopsy · exploratory surgery · physical examination · clinical examination · diagnostic procedure
autopsyprenatal care
Medical oversight for expectant mothers
preventive medicine · birth · conception · wellness check · resuscitation
autopsyresuscitation
Restoring vital functions
treatment · healing · cure · intervention · therapy
- autopsy reportsDocuments detailing postmortem examinations
- alien autopsyDissection of extraterrestrial body
- autopsy roomPostmortem examination facility
- autopsy photosPhotographs from medical examinations of deceased
- autopsy tableSurface for postmortem examination