Buy backpacks, exercise machines, athletic shoes, and more at Fogdog Sports. An autopsy is a postmortem assessment or examination of a body to determine the cause of death. An autopsy is performed by a physician trained in pathology.
Most autopsies advance medical knowledge and provide evidence for legal action.
Medically, autopsies determine the exact cause and circumstances of death, discover the pathway of a disease, and provide valuable information to be used in the care of the living. When foul play is suspected, a government coroner or medical examiner performs autopsies for legal use. This branch of medical study is called forensic medicine. Forensic specialists investigate deaths resulting from violence or occurring under suspicious circumstances. Organ donation, which can potentially save the lives of other patients, is also another benefit of autopsies.