From its earliest forerunners in Egyptian mummification and the influence of Herophilus and Galen in ancient Greece, the autopsy has deep roots in the historical effort to understand the human body. Advances in modern post-mortem examination technique, such as non-invasive imaging, will continue to shape the structure and role of the autopsy as it evolves and changes into the future. The autopsy is a major aspect of the practice of medicine which is used to audit the effectiveness of clinical practice and assist the law courts in the adjudication of cases in which deaths occurred in...