Forensic Autopsy Technical Terms
Algor mortis |
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A type of postmortem change where the body’s temperature equilibrates with the temperature of the surrounding environment.
Autolysis
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A phase of decomposition where swelling and breakdown is seen at the cellular level as cells begin to swell and burst releasing enzymes causing breakdown.
Autopsy
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Often a postmortem examination is conducted to determine the cause, mechanism, and manner of death. Conducted by dissecting the body in a meticulous manner whilst collecting and documenting evidence.
Cause of death (COD)
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Initial injury or disease that led to the series of events resulting in death.
Dating of injuries
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A process of tissue examination that allows one to determine the time of injury using injury characteristics.
Degree of decomposition
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Two main phases of decomposition that take place are autolysis and putrefaction and these allow the full breakdown of the cellular and tissue material of the body past the degree of mortis.
Degree of mortis |
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Postmortem stages of death used to determine time of death or PMI:
Forensic entomology
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A scientifically validated technique used to determine PMI by studying the presence and absence of flies and other bugs.
Homicide
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A non-natural death that results from an intentional act taken upon another individual to cause fear, harm, or death.
Livor mortis
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A type of postmortem change where the blood in the body begins to pool to the lowest areas of the body and can be used to indicate the position of the body.
Manner of death (MOD)
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The circumstances and conditions that caused the death. The manner of death must account for the results and evidence gathered from all post-mortem examinations conducted. There are five main classifications of manners of death: Natural, homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined.
Mechanism of death
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The last physiological derangement that onset resulting in death.
Natural death
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Death resulting only from the onset of a natural disease, complications of a disease or its treatment, or the aging process.
Pallor mortis
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A type of postmortem change where the body appears very pale; occurs approximately 15 minutes to 2 hours after death.
Postmortem examination
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A thorough examination conducted on the body of the deceased where the cause of death and manner of death are determined through an autopsy.
Postmortem interval (PMI)
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Time that has passed after the death of the individual; determined using the degree of mortis, decomposition, and forensic entomology.
Putrefaction
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A phase of decomposition where microorganisms (such as bacteria) and external factors increase the degree of decomposition.
Rigor Mortis
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A type of postmortem change where stiffening of the muscles of the body is seen causing it to be in an erect state.
Suicide
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A non-natural death that results from an intentional injury inflicted on oneself to cause self-harm or death
Trace Evidence
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Often microscopic material that is left behind after contact between the material and a surface.
Undetermined
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A death that results under circumstances where the evidence is insufficient in identifying a manner of death or indicates more than one manner of death being equally possible.
A thorough examination conducted on the body of the deceased where the cause of death and manner of death are determined through an autopsy.
Initial injury or disease that led to the series of events resulting in death.
The last physiological derangement that onset resulting in death.
The circumstances and conditions that caused the death. Must account for the results and evidence gathered from all postmortem examinations conducted; 5 main types.
To cut apart or separate tissue for studying the internal parts.
Diseased tissues/remains must be analyzed to determine if they could have contributed to death and if they are heritable or not to determine if the family needs to take further medical precautionary steps.
A phase of decomposition where swelling and breakdown is seen at the cellular level as cells begin to swell and burst releasing enzymes causing breakdown.
A phase of decomposition where microorganism (such as bacteria) and external factors increase the degree of decomposition.
Postmortem stages of death used to determine time of death or postmortem interval: 1. Pallor mortis; 2. Algor mortis; 3. Rigor mortis; 4. Livor mortis
Postmortem Interval: Time that has passed after the death of the individual; determined using the degree of mortis, decomposition, and forensic entomology.
A type of postmortem change where the body appears very pale; occurs approximately 15 minutes to 2 hours after death.
A type of postmortem change where the body's temperature equilibrates with the temperature of the surrounding environment.
A type of postmortem change where stiffening of the muscles of the body is seen causing it to be in an erect state.
A type of postmortem change where the blood in the body begins to pool to the lowest areas of the body and can be used to indicate the position of the body.
Death resulting only from the onset of a natural disease, complications of a disease or its treatment, or the aging process.
A non-natural death that results from an intentional act that an individual inflicts upon another individual to cause fear, harm, or death.
A non-natural death that results from an intentional injury inflicted on oneself to cause self-harm or death.
A non-natural death that results from an injury causing death but inflicted unintentionally as suggested by evidence.
A death that results under circumstances where the evidence is insufficient in identifying a manner of death or indicates more than one manner of death being equally possible.
A postmortem examination conducted to determine the cause, mechanism, and manner of death. Conducted by dissecting the body in a meticulous manner whilst collecting and documenting evidence.
Two main phases of decomposition that take place are autolysis and putrefaction and these allow the full breakdown of the cellular and tissue material of the body past the degree of mortis.
A scientifically validated technique used to determine PMI by studying the presence and absence of flies and other bugs.
The evidence that is presented is not clear, convincing, or compelling enough to result in a classification of the manner of death. In this scenario, the manner of death is undetermined.
The evidence that is presented results in two or more comparable likelihoods of classifications of the manner of death. In this scenario, the manner of death is undetermined.
