Postmortem Changes-Descriptions (Exam 1)

Question 1

Define Disease

Answer 1

Any deviation from the normal structure or function

Question 2

What are the 5 pathological processes?

Answer 2

• Degeneration/Necrosis
• Inflammation and Repair
• Circulatory Disorders
• Disorders of Growth
• Deposits and Pigmentations

Question 3

Define Lesion

Answer 3

Any morphological change in tissues during disease

Question 4

What does a Morphologic Diagnosis include?

Answer 4

• Pathological process
• Location/organ
• Distribution
• Duration/chronicity
• Severity

Question 5

What does an Etiologic diagnosis include?

Answer 5

• Pathological process
• Location
• Cause

Question 6

Define Pathognomonic lesions

Answer 6

Characteristic of a specific disease

Question 7

What are areas to avoid doing a necropsy?

Answer 7

• Areas accessible to animals
• Areas which may contain food
• High traffic areas
• Areas difficult to disinfect

Question 8

What are good spots to do a necropsy?

Answer 8

• Concrete
• Dirt area in the sun
• Straw bed

Question 9

What are the PM steps for a necropsy?

Answer 9

• External examination
• Open body cavities
• Collect microbiologic samples
• Remove and dissect organs
• Collect histologic samples

Question 10

What is the proper ratio of foramlin:tissue?

How far will the formalin penetrate the tissue?

Answer 10

10:1 ratio of formalin:tissue

No more than 1/2 cm of the tissue

Question 11

What is autolysis?

Answer 11

• Self-digestion or degradation of cells and tissues by hydrolytic enzymes
• Occurs after somatic death due to hypoxia

Question 12

What is putrefaction?

Answer 12

• Process by which PM bacteria break down tissues

- Gives color, texture changes, gas production, and odors

Question 13

What is Rigor Mortis?

What causes it/accelerates it?

Answer 13

• Contraction of the muscles after death
• 1-6 hours post death for 1-2 days
• High heat and activity before death accelerate the onset
• Caused by depletion of ATP and inability of myosin to detach from actin binding site

Question 14

What is liver mortis?

Answer 14

• gravity pulls blood post death

- pools in one area

Question 15

Describe an Antemortem blood clot

Answer 15

• attached to vessel walls
• dry and dull
• lamellated
• friable

Question 16

Describe a Postmortem blood clot

Answer 16

• unattached
• shiny and wet
• elastic
• perfect cast of vessel lumen

Question 17

What is hemoglobin imbibition?

Answer 17

• Hemoglobin is released by lysed RBCs, penetrates vessels walls, and diffuses into adjacent tissues
• Stains the tissues red

Question 18

What is bile imbibition?

Answer 18

• Bile from gallbladder penetrates the wall and stains adjacent tissues a yellow-green
• Tissues stained are those in contact with gallbladder: liver, intestines, diaphragm

Question 19

What causes postmortem bloat?

How can you distinguish it from ruminal tympany?

Answer 19

• Results from PM bacterial gas formation in GI tract

- Tympany will cause an esophageal bloat line from lack of blood

Question 20

What are cold cataracts?

Answer 20

corneal opacity due to dehydration of cornea

Question 21

What is pseudomelanosis?

Answer 21

• Decomposition of blood by bacterial action forming hydrogen sulfide with iron
• Greenish-blackish discoloration
• Tissues in contact with the gut

Question 22

What are the features of a description?

Answer 22

number, size, location, distribution, shape, color, consistency, margins/surface

Question 23

Focal distribution refers to?

Answer 23

one isolated lesion

Question 24

Multifocal distribution refers to?

What can it tell you about the route of spread?

Answer 24

• numerous similar lesions that can be of variable size

- embolic/hematogenous route

Question 25

Diffuse distribution refers to?

Answer 25

lesion throughout a large portion of the effected tissue

Question 26

What does locally extensive distribution tell you about the route of spread?

Answer 26

local introduction via penetrating wound or anatomic pathway

Question 27

What does a symmetrical lesion indicate?

Answer 27

systemic/metabolic cause of the lesion

Question 28

What does a raised lesion tell you?

Answer 28

Something has been added | - edema, blood, hyperplastic cells

Question 29

What does a depressed lesion tell you?

Answer 29

Something has been lost (necrosis) or the tissue has contracted

Question 30

What does a geometric lesion tell you?

Answer 30

the lesion involves vasculature

Question 31

What could a red lesion be due to?

Answer 31

- hemorrhage | - congestion

Question 32

What could a white lesion be due to?

Answer 32

- necrosis - leukocytes - fibrin - connective tissue

Question 33

What could a yellow lesion be due to?

Answer 33

- leukocytes - bilirubin - fat - fibrin

Question 34

What could a green lesion be due to?

Answer 34

- bile pigment - eosinophils - algae of fungal infection - hemosiderin

Question 35

What could a black lesion be due to?

Answer 35

- melanin - decomposition - exogenous pigment

Question 36

What could a translucent lesion be due to?

Answer 36

- mucous | - parasite cyst

Question 37

What is the lesion if it "can spread with a knife?"

Answer 37

necrosis and exudate

Question 38

What is the lesion if it "can't spread with a knife?"

Answer 38

viable tissue and cells

Question 39

What does a lesion with a well demarcated margin tell you?

Answer 39

- lesion represents a different tissue - infarcts - chronic lesion with fibrous capsule

Question 40

What does a lesion with a poorly demarcated margin tell you?

Answer 40

- the lesion and adjacent tissue may be similar | - the process is gradually infiltrating into the normal tissue