Introduction to Anatomy

& Anatomical
Terminology
Dr. Lakshmi Selvaratnam
School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Monash University Malaysia

E-mail: lakshmi.selvaratnam@monash.edu
Room 4-4-23/ Tel: 03-5514 6322
 On the Importance of the Study of Anatomy — With Some Additional Remarks/ N Engl J
Med Surg (1825); 14:188-197April 1, 1825DOI: 10.1056/NEJM182504010140222
2
 Doctors fail basic anatomy
May 06, 2006

TEACHING of basic anatomy in Australia's

medical schools is so inadequate that students are
increasingly unable to locate important body
parts - and in some cases even confuse one vital
organ with another.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...005-601,00.html
http://medstudentsonline.com.au/forum/threads/medical-students-fail-basic-
anatomy.420/
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Gross Anatomy for MED1011:
GENERAL ANATOMY
LECTURES:
1. Introduction to Anatomy & Anatomy Terminology
2. (Principles of bones )
3. Principles of muscles & joints
4. Principles of organisation of peripheral spinal nerves
5. Principles of skin
6. Principles of vasculature
7. Principles of organisation of lymphoid system
PRACTICALS:
1. General Anatomy Masterclass 1
2. General Anatomy Masterclass 2

MID-SEM/ END-SEM EXAM

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 HOW TO
SCORE IN
ANATOMY!!

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Objectives:
To be able to:
1. Develop an approach, understanding and love for the
study of Anatomy using all available resources.
2. Explain difference between general, regional & systemic
approaches to anatomical description
3. Describe anatomical position of reference & understand
its use
4. Describe & use terms of relationships (e.g.anterior,
proximal, etc) and anatomical planes (e.g.midsagittal,
coronal, etc)
5. Describe & demonstrate movements with respect to
limbs & trunk (e.g. flexion, adduction, etc)

ANATOMY IS THE LANGUAGE

OF MEDICINE! 6
 What is Anatomy?
 Definition: the structure of the
human body (correlated with
its function)

 “Anatomy" comes from

Greek ("cutting up“)
 The structure of the body was
originally learned through
dissecting it or cutting it up.
The anatomy lesson of Dr.Nicolaes Tulp
(Rembrandt 1632)

Visible Human Project

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/visible/visible_human.html
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History of Anatomy
 275 BC Herophilus (Greek) teaches anatomy, Alexandria, Egypt;
performs dissections of human bodies (‘first anatomist’/pioneer of
scientific method).
 ca. 150 Galen dissects apes, monkeys, cows, dogs; writes treatises
on human anatomy.
 ca. 600-1100 Knowledge of Greek anatomical treatises lost to
Western Europeans, but retained in Byzantium/ Islamic world.
Islamic scholars translate Greek anatomical treatises into Arabic.
 1100s-1500s Galen’s anatomical treatises translated into Latin
 1235 First European medical school founded at Salerno, Italy;
human bodies are publicly dissected.
 1510 Leonardo da Vinci dissects & makes anatomical drawings.
 1543 First profusely illustrated printed anatomy text, Vesalius’ De
Humani Corporis Fabrica.
 1670s-1690s Schwammerdam, Ruysch and others start making
anatomical specimens and museums.
 1600- today Anatomy plays an important role in medical practice,
education and research.
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Rock painting, ca. 6000 B.C.E.
© Archivo Iconografico, S.A./Corbis De Humani Corporis Fabrica
Basel, 1543. Woodcut.
Aboriginal "x-ray style" figure.
Andreas Vesalius
Kakadu National Park, (1514-1564)
Northern Territory, Australia.
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Drawing of a Woman’s Torso & Muscles/Skeleton
Leonardo Da Vinci
(1452-1519) 10
How is Anatomy taught ?
Four disciplines:
 Gross (or topographical) anatomy
 Histology (or microscopic anatomy)
 Embryology (or developmental anatomy)
 Neuroanatomy

Need both regional and systems approach to

learning anatomy!

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Regional anatomy vs systemic anatomy

Region: Thorax System: Respiratory system

Each region is not isolated/ each system is not isolated.

Learning medicine runs across regions & across systems!
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13
How is Anatomy learning integrated in your brain?

 Surface anatomy
 Radiological anatomy
 Clinical anatomy
(procedural/ surgical)

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 Very Impt!
Anatomical Position
 *This is a standard
reference position to
which all anatomical
descriptions are related
to.
 Features:
 Body upright
 Head & eyes directed
forward
 Arms to sides with palms
facing forward
 Lower limbs together
with toes directed
forward

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Supine vs prone position

 Supine: patient is lying

on his back

 Prone: patient is lying

face down

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  Median
Anatomical Planes  Sagittal
 Coronal
 Transverse

VIF!

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Abdominal incisions

Incisional hernia

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Anatomical Planes: sections of body

 Longitudinal section
 Transverse section
 Oblique section
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 Transverse section of
neck

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 Key facts!

Terms of relationship

 Compare position of 2
structures relative to
each other:
 Superior/ inferior
 Anterior/ posterior
 Medial/ lateral

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Divisions of abdominal
wall:
1. Anterior (anterolateral)
2. Posterior

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Triangles of the Neck

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 Knee Region

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Terms of comparison

 Compare position of 2
structures or same
structure:
 Proximal/ distal
 Superficial/ deep
 Internal/ external
 Ventral/ dorsal

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 Femoral Region

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Special terms of comparison

 Used for certain

specific regions
 Palmar/ plantar
surfaces
 Cranial/ caudal
 Rostral

Cranial/caudal LS/MUM2017 27
Terms of laterality

 Used for description of paired structures

 Bilateral
 Unilateral
 Ipsilateral
 Contralateral

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Bilateral/ unilateral organs in abdomen

Bilateral inguinal herniae

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 Remember!
Terms of movement (I)

 Used to describe
movements occurring
at joints (pairs of
opposite movs)
 Flexion
 Extension

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 Remember!
Terms of movement (II)

 Abduction
 Adduction

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 Remember!
Terms of movement (III)

 Medial (internal)
rotation
 Lateral (external)
rotation

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 VIF!

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Special terms of movement Key
Terms!

 Pronation/ supination (forearm)

 Plantarflexion/ dorsiflexion (foot)
 Inversion/ eversion (foot)
 Protraction/ retraction (mandible, scapula)
 Elevation/ depression (mandible, scapula)

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Special terms of movement Practise
these!

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Always use Anatomy in its Clinical context!

Posterior dislocation of R hip.

(Hint: Observe that the woman’s
lower limb is flexed, adducted,
medially rotated and shorter than
her L limb)

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Sample Q: wake up time!
 After sustaining a fall, a 74-year old lady is diagnosed
with a posterior dislocation of her left hip. On clinical
examination, her left lower limb was:
A. Medially rotated and lengthened
B. Superiorly rotated and shortened
C. Laterally rotated and lengthened
D. Anteriorly rotated and shortened
E. Medially rotated and shortened.

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 THANK YOU!
References/images:
o *Clinically Oriented Anatomy(2014).
Moore & Dalley (Intro Chp)
o **General Anatomy: Principles &
Applications (2008). Eizenberg, “Anatomedia General
Briggs, Adams & Ahern (Chp 1) Anatomy” is gratefully
acknowledeged for
o *Clinical Anatomy for Medical Students reproduction of images.
(2012/ later ed). Snell (Chp 1)
o Essential Clinical Anatomy (2010).
Moore, Agur & Dalley

“The nature of the human body is the beginning

of medical science”
Hippocrates (460-377 BC)
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