A coroner's autopsy includes which examination?

• A. Gross examination
• B. Microscopic examination
• C. Toxicology analysis
• D. Radiographic imaging

Answer: (A)

In a coroner's autopsy, the defining step is the gross examination—the macroscopic, naked-eye inspection of the body and its organs. This foundational evaluation involves external examination, opening body cavities, and examining organs to identify visible abnormalities, injuries, or signs of disease. The findings from the gross examination guide what tissues should be collected for microscopic analysis and what samples should be sent for toxicology or radiographic studies, but the initial, integral part of the autopsy is the gross, or macroscopic, assessment. Microscopic examination, toxicology analysis, and radiographic imaging are important adjuncts used as needed to fill in details or confirm findings, but they are typically built on the observations documented during the gross examination.