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Pathology => Histology => Autopsy
Autopsy
Autopsy, also necropsy, medical examination of a dead human body, including the internal organs, to determine the cause of death or to study pathological changes. An autopsy is performed by a doctor trained in pathology. After the exterior body is thoroughly examined, an incision is made to expose the internal organs. Their position is noted, and they are removed for examination by eye and further study under a microscope. Autopsies are commonly performed shortly after death; usually authorization of a surviving relative is required.
Most autopsies serve to advance medical knowledge, but autopsies also have legal uses. Deaths resulting from violence or poison, or occurring under suspicious circumstances, are investigated by a government officer, called either a coroner or a medical examiner. In such instances, the autopsy is made to determine the time and circumstances of death, thereby providing evidence for legal action.
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