What does an autopsy involve?

An autopsy involves an examination of the body after death to determine the cause of death or to evaluate any disease or injury. This thorough investigation is performed by a pathologist and can provide crucial information about medical conditions that may not have been diagnosed prior to death. Autopsies can be instrumental in understanding unexpected deaths, as well as in broader public health contexts by contributing to the knowledge of disease trends.

The other choices do not accurately describe an autopsy. Testing for infections pertains to laboratory procedures conducted while the person is alive or shortly after death but does not encompass the comprehensive examination associated with an autopsy. A psychological evaluation pertains to assessing mental health, which is not relevant in the context of post-mortem analyses. Lastly, treatment methods for terminal illnesses relate to interventions aimed at patients still alive, whereas an autopsy is a retrospective examination post-death. Thus, the defining characteristic of an autopsy is clearly the examination of the body after death.