autopsy
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autopsy
The medical examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death and clarify other medical questions. Also referred to as a post-mortem examination.
Die Staatsanwaltschaft ordnete eine Obduktion an, um Fremdverschulden auszuschließen.
The public prosecutor's office ordered an autopsy to rule out foul play.
'Obduktion' (autopsy) is often used with specific verbs. An official body can 'anordnen' (order) or 'beantragen' (request) an autopsy, while doctors 'durchführen' (perform) it. The result of the examination then 'ergibt' (reveals) the cause of death.
Die Polizei hat eine Obduktion des Leichnams angeordnet.
The police ordered an autopsy of the body.
This word belongs to the technical language of medicine and law. You mainly find it in official reports, news, or crime novels.
Im Polizeibericht wurde das Ergebnis der Obduktion festgehalten.
The result of the autopsy was recorded in the police report.
The word 'Obduktion' (autopsy) appears almost exclusively in the context of death and its investigation. Typical signal words in its surroundings are 'Todesursache' (cause of death), 'Leiche' (corpse), 'Gerichtsmedizin' (forensic medicine), and 'Staatsanwaltschaft' (public prosecutor's office).
Die Gerichtsmedizin wird die Obduktion morgen früh durchführen.
Forensic medicine will perform the autopsy tomorrow morning.
section / autopsy
'die Sektion' and 'die Obduktion' can mean the same thing in medicine: the examination of a corpse to clarify the cause of death. 'die Obduktion' is very unambiguous for this and is widely understood in medicine, policing, and law. 'die Sektion' can also be used in this medical sense, but it has other meanings too, for example department or section. That is why 'Sektion' can be misunderstood more easily. If the meaning is clearly the examination of a corpse, 'Obduktion' is usually more unambiguous.
Nach dem Unfall ordnete die Staatsanwaltschaft eine Obduktion an.
After the accident, the public prosecutor's office ordered an autopsy.
Die Sektion soll klären, woran der Patient gestorben ist.
The autopsy is meant to clarify what the patient died of.