Decomposition and Autopsy

PMI is

• postmortem insect

• Postmeridian interval

• Premortem interval

• Postmortem Interval

An autopsy is performed after an unexplained death to help explain the cause and manner of death.

• true

• false

The body of a person known to have eaten Mexican food at 12 noon was found dead at 11pm. During autopsy, the medical examiner found no food in the stomach but did find evidence of Mexican food in the first half of the small intestine. Based on the postmortem interval estimate from the stomach contents only, which of the following times would be the best estimate of a postmortem interval?

• noon - 1pm

• 1-2 pm

• 2-5 pm

• 4-11 pm

Which method of estimating postmortem interval is least reliable if a person has been dead less than 12 hours?

• rigor mortis

• livor mortis

• potassium levels in the eye

• algor mortis

Adipocere is a waxy material formed from the breakdown of fat during decomposition under very dry conditions

• true

• false

Marbling occurs as a result of _____.

• fats being broken down by bacteria

• chemical reactions of sulfur and hemoglobin

• lactic acid formation as a result of reduced oxygen

• muscles contracting after death

Which of the following stages of decomposition is characterized by the presence of a strong odor and the formation of gases within the body?

• Fresh stage

• Bloat stage

• Active decay stage

• Dry stage

During an autopsy, which organ is typically examined first to determine the cause of death?

• Heart

• Liver

• Brain

• Stomach

What is the primary purpose of conducting an autopsy?

• To determine the time of death

• To identify the deceased

• To establish the cause and manner of death

• To preserve the body for burial

Which of the following is a common method used to estimate the time of death during an autopsy?

• DNA analysis

• Toxicology report

• Examination of stomach contents

• Blood type analysis