Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "autopsy" shine binciken likita na gawa don gano musabbabin mutuwar ko kuma tattara bayanai game da wata cuta ko rauni da mutum ya samu. Ya ƙunshi cikakken bincike na jiki, wanda ya haɗa da rarrabawa da nazarin gabobin jiki da kyallen takarda, da kuma gwaje-gwaje daban-daban da ma'auni don sanin yanayin lafiyar mutum da kuma dalilin mutuwarsa. Kwararrun likitoci ne ke yin gawarwakin gawarwaki, kamar masanan likitanci ko ƙwararrun likitoci, kuma ana iya gudanar da su saboda dalilai daban-daban, gami da binciken shari'a, binciken likita, da rigakafin cututtuka.