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What are The Types of Post-mortem examination or Autopsies



What are the Types of Post-mortem examination / Autopsy examination

Autopsies fall into three categories:

Medico-Legal Autopsy or Forensic or Coroner's autopsies are performed to identify the cause and manner of death and to identify the deceased. They are generally executed, as dictated by applicable law, in cases of violent, suspicious or sudden deaths, deaths without medical assistance or during surgical procedures. It is performed by a trained medical officer or Police Surgeon.


Clinical or Pathological autopsies are executed to diagnose a particular disease or for research purposes. They shed light into the pathological processes that lead to death of the person. Clinical autopsies are sometimes performed to assess the standard of care of hospitals. It is done by a pathologist.

Anatomical or academic autopsies are performed by students of anatomy for study purpose. This is usually possible when a person has given permission in advance of their death.

Virtual or medical imaging autopsies

Virtopsy is a term that combines the words "virtual" and "autopsy," and it uses imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging and so on for the purpose of determining the cause of death. Virtopsy can be used in place of normal autopsy for broad and systemic examinations of the entire body since it is less time consuming, assists in better diagnosis(4).

References:

  1. The Medical Autopsy: Past, Present, and Dubious Future - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6188261/)
  2. Clinical or Postmortem? The Importance of the Autopsy; a Retrospective Study - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4305994/)
  3. Uniform guidelines for postmortem work in India - (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260182850_Uniform_guidelines_for_postmortem_work_in_India)
  4. Virtopsy - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3826044/)
  5. Post-Mortem Examination as a Quality Improvement Instrument - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6224542/)
  6. Forensic Autopsy - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539901/)
  7. The Needs & The Importance of Post Mortem Examination - (http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/needs-importance-post-mortem-examination/)
  8. The medical autopsy as quality assurance tool in clinical medicine: dreams and realities - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4751188/)

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