Forensic Death Investigation Flashcards
7 cards from real CSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Forensic Death Investigation flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes an 'incised wound' versus a 'laceration'?
Answer: Incised wounds are caused by sharp edges and have clean margins; lacerations are tears with irregular edges caused by blunt force
Incised wounds (cuts) are made by a sharp instrument and have clean, well-defined edges, while lacerations result from blunt trauma and have ragged, irregular edges with tissue bridging.
What is the primary purpose of collecting vitreous humor during an autopsy?
Answer: To analyze chemistry values unaffected by post-mortem changes
Vitreous humor (the fluid in the eye) is isolated from systemic post-mortem changes, making it useful for measuring glucose, electrolytes (especially potassium for PMI estimation), and detecting certain drugs and alcohol.
A body shows an entry wound with a 'muzzle contusion ring' and soot deposited deep in the wound track. What type of gunshot wound is this?
Answer: Hard contact wound
A hard contact wound occurs when the muzzle is pressed firmly against the skin, forcing combustion gases and soot into the wound track, often creating a stellate (star-shaped) laceration and muzzle imprint.
When investigating a suspected drowning death, which autopsy finding provides the most specific evidence of ante-mortem submersion?
Answer: Presence of diatoms in bone marrow or organs
Diatoms (microscopic algae) found in bone marrow or internal organs provide strong evidence of ante-mortem submersion because they enter the bloodstream via the lungs only during active breathing.
What does the forensic term 'mechanism of death' refer to?
Answer: The physiological derangement by which the cause of death produces the fatal outcome
The mechanism of death is the physiological process triggered by the cause of death that directly results in cessation of life (e.g., exsanguination is the mechanism; a stab wound is the cause).
Which finding at autopsy would support a diagnosis of fatal hypothermia?
Answer: Wischnewski spots on the gastric mucosa
Wischnewski spots are hemorrhagic erosions of the gastric mucosa found in hypothermia deaths, caused by cold-induced microvascular damage to the stomach lining.
In a forensic entomology analysis, the 'accumulated degree hours' (ADH) method is used for what purpose?
Answer: Estimating the PMI by accounting for temperature's effect on insect development
Accumulated degree hours (ADH) or accumulated degree days (ADD) correct for ambient temperature variations to accurately model the developmental rate of insects and estimate the minimum time since death.