Pathology Flashcards
What is forensic pathology?
The application of knowledge from medicine and pathology to problem solving in the field of law
What are the sub-specialties of pathology?
Cytopathology, paediatric pathology, neuropathology, forensic pathology
What is pathology?
The branch of medicine that involves the interpretation of changes in body organs, tissues and fluids
What are the educational requirements of a forensic pathologist in the US?
- medical qualification
- completion of forensic pathology fellowship program
- American Board of Pathology certifications (in Anatomic pathology and forensic pathology)
What are the educational requirements of a forensic pathologist in Australia?
- medical qualifications
- Royal College of Pathologists Australia - training and examination
What do forensic pathologists do?
Focus on the examination of deceased people
What is not a role of a forensic pathologist?
Assists in the excavation of human remains
A hospital autopsy is performed with the written permission of?
Next of kin
The control of a death scene is the responsibility of?
Relevant policing agency
Why is a hospital autopsy performed?
To answer questions about an already known cause of death
What is the primary purpose of a death scene investigation as performed by the forensic pathologist?
Assisting in the determination of cause and manner of death
Homicide is…..
Unlawful killing of another person
An internal examination involves…..
Evisceration of the body, including recording basic data and taking specimens for further investigations
An internal examination does not involve…
Weighing the body
True or false: the forensic pathologist need written permission to perform an autopsy
False
An autopsy report is best described as:
A summary of findings
True or false: a forensic pathologist is the only medical practitioner allowed to issue a death certificate
False
What is usually contained in an autopsy report?
- external examination
- evidence of therapy
- evidence of injury
- internal examination
- microscopic examination
- toxicology
- summary of findings
- cause and manner of death
What does a forensic autopsy seek to establish?
- cause of death
- identify the decedent
- time of death
- nature and extent of any injuries and their significance in causing death
- circumstances surrounding the death
- patterns of injury and death within the community that could be prevented
What are the components of an autopsy?
- death investigations
- external examination
- internal examination
- ancillary prosecutes: radiology, toxicology, chemistry, serology, microbiology, histology
Why would a pathologist attend a death scene?
A death scene cans provide important investigative evidence
What does a death certificate record?
Cause and manner of death
What is a certification of death?
The medical certificate of cause of death
An autopsy report must be:
Clear, concise and easy to read
What does an autopsy report usually contain?
- external examination
- evidence of therapy
- evidence of injury
- internal examination
- microscopic examination
- toxicology
- summary of findings
- cause and manner of death
Why is photographic identification of a body vital?
May capture an injury not originally described
Which regions are examined in an internal examination?
- back, arms and legs
- trunk- chest, abdomen and pelvis
- head and head cavity
- neck
Which organs are weighed and height recorded in an internal examination?
- brain
- lungs
- heart
- liver
- spleen
- kidneys
Who can a certification of death be provisioned by?
Medical professional, if not reported by the coroner
Why is a certification of death important?
- legal
- public health
- family
- safeguards against the disposal of bodies without professional scrutiny for the need for further investigation
What happens in an external examination?
- important for identification of individual and estimation of PMI
- body is examined for evidence of injury, disease and foul play
What does a forensic autopsy seek to establish? (6)
- Cause of death
- Identity of the decedent
- Time of death
- Nature and extent of injuries and their significance in causing death
- Circumstances surrounding the death
- Patterns of injury and death within the community that could be prevented
Essentially: tries to reconstruct a fatal incident
What are the cases that require an autopsy? (9)
- All homicides
- Cases known to result from criminal violence
- In-custody deaths
- Accidental deaths where criminal charges are likely
- Acute workplace related deaths
- Infant/toddler deaths that are sudden and unexpected
- Certain deaths alleged to involve medical therapy
- Charred and/or skeletonised remains
- Any suspicious death
