Terms N-R Flashcards
Neuropathologist
A specialist who studies diseases of the nervous system
Neglect
Failure to provide levels of care required to meet a dependent person’s needs
Parenchyma
The specialized tissues forming the substance of an organ
Pathologist
A doctor who specializes in examining cells and tissue in order to diagnose disease
Pericardium
The dense fibrous membrane that encloses the heart
Persistent vegetative state
Condition in which a patient is unable to be warm basic functions and shows no ability to respond to his or her surroundings
Pia mater
The transparent innermost membrane covering the brain
Postmortem interval
Time of death
Postmortem livity
The settling of the blood in the body after death, which results in the blue or purple discoloration of the skin
Presumptive identification
Preliminary determination of the identity of a deceased person on the basis of items found with the body
Provisional atomic diagnosis
A listing made of the autopsy findings made by a forensic pathologist
Proximate cause of death
The initial incident or event leading to an individual’s death
Pulmonary embolism
Usually a blood clot that arises in some other blood vessel that travels back to the heart and into the pulmonary artery, blocking it completely. This sometimes causes a dramatic sudden-death if the embolism is massive and occludes both pulmonary arteries
Rape kit
Packages of items used in a hospital to gather evidence (such as samples of hair saliva semen and blood) that can be used to identify and prosecute a rapist
Rigor mortis
Stiffening of muscles that occur after death
