INTRODUCTION AND
ANATOMICAL
TERMINOLOGY
Prof. Dr. Hakkı Dalçık
Istanbul Aydın University
School of Medicine
Department of Anatomy
Text Books:
• Clinically Oriented Anatomy,
Keith Moore
• Gray’s Anatomy for Students,
Richard L. Drake
• Clinical Anatomy for Medical Students, Richard Snell
Neuroanatomy:
– Clinical Neuroanatomy for Medical Students, Richard Snell
Atlas:
• Sabotta Atlas
• Netter Atlas
• Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy
• Atlas of Human Anatomy
Definition of Anatomy:
• The study of the structure/morphology of
body parts and their relationships to one
another
• It is a Greek word (Ana; up-Tome; cut):
meaning «CUTTING UP»
– Medical terminology (latin-greek words)
‫اللهات‬
– Ex; Tonsilectomy, apendectomy
• Father of modern human Anatomy (belgian
physician): Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)
– De Humani Corporis Fabrica (human
body part drawings from the bodies of
the grave)
• Nomina Anatomica: Anatomic names Ex:
humerus, ulna, radius
• International scientific names
Subdivisions or subdisciplines of Anatomy:
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Macroscopic Anatomy (Gross Anatomy)
Developmental Anatomy (Embryology)
Microscopic Anatomy (Histology)
Regional Anatomy
Radiological Anatomy
Developmental Anatomy (Embryology):
• Embryology – study of developmental changes of the body before
birth
Microscopic Anatomy (Histology):
• Cytology – study of the cell
• Histology – study of tissues
Radiological anatomy (Anatomical Imaging): study of internal structures
visualized by images:
– X-ray (radiographic films): allow to see the bones (hard
structures)
– Angiogram: use an x-ray with a dye (contrast medium to the
vessel)
– CT (computed tomography) scan: uses x-rays
– MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): uses magnetic field
(hammering sounds, 45 min)
– Ultrasound: uses high frequency sound; the safest; look at the
fetuses
Pathological anatomy: study of structural changes caused by disease
The Study of Gross Anatomy:
• Regional – synonyms: topographic anatomy: all
structures in one part of the body (such as the
abdomen or leg)
• Systemic – gross anatomy of the body studied by
system
• Surface – study of internal structures as they relate
to the overlying skin
Regional Anatomy:
Systemic
Anatomy:
Surface Anatomy:
• Ex: sternal angle (angle of Louis): 2nd pair of ribs are attached; top
of the heart
• Ex: spinous process of C7: 2 spinous process below (T2); top of the
heart at the back
The body contains many cavities such as:
• Dorsal body cavity:
– Cranial cavity – within the skull; brain
– Spinal cavity/vertebral cavity – within the vertebral column
• Ventral body cavity:
– Thoracic cavity – within the rib cage
– Abdominal cavity – from the diaphragm to the bottom of the trunk
– Pelvic cavity – from the pelvic rim to the floor of the trunk
Major body regions:
• The central region of the body consists of:
– Head and Neck
– Trunk
• The trunk can be divided into:
– Thorax (chest)
– Abdomen (region between the thorax and
pelvis)
– Pelvis (inferior end of the trunk associated with
the hips)
• The upper limb (arm, forearm, wrist and hand)
• The lower limb (thigh, leg, ankle and foot)
• The back and spine
• Girdles:
– Shoulder/Pectoral girdle: connects the upper
limb to the axial skeleton; clavicle + scapula
– Pelvic girdle: connects the lower limb to the
axial skeleton; pelvic bones + sacrum + coccyx
Girdles are the parts of the appendicular skeleton that
anchor the appendages to the axial skeleton
Basic Anatomical Terminology:
Describing Anatomical Relations:
Anatomical Position:
• Is a standardized method of
observing or imaging the body that
allows precise and consistent
anatomical references (reference
position; skeleton; OS MAN)
• When in the anatomical position, the
subject stands:
ü Standing upright
ü Facing the observer
ü Eyes facing forward
ü Feet flat on the floor
ü Arms at the sides
ü Palms turned forward (ventral)
Medical Terminology (describing relative/compared positions):
Superior:
Inferior:
Anterior/ventral:
Posterior/dorsal:
Cranial (rostral):
Caudal:
Palmar:
Dorsum:
Superficial:
Deep (Profundus):
Medial:
Lateral:
Median:
Bilateral:
Unilateral:
Contralateral:
Longus:
Brevis:
Sinistra:
Dextra:
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Positions and Directions:
• Terms of position and
direction describe the
position of one body part
relative to another
Superior:
• Refers to a structure being higher
than another structure in the body
Inferior:
• Refers to a structure being lower
than another structure in the body
• Ex: Heart is superior to
stomach/stomach is inferior
compared to the heart
Anterior (ventral):
• Refers to a structure being
more in front than another
structure in the body
Posterior (dorsal):
• Refers to a structure being
more in the back than
another structure in the
body
• Ex: heart is anterior to
vertebral column
Medial:
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the midline or
median plane of the body
than another structure of the
body
Lateral:
• Refers to a structure being
farther away from the midline
than another structure of the
body
• Ex; Nose is medial to the ear
Proximal:
(Reference to the extremities only)
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the root of the limb
than another structure in that
limb
Distal:
(Reference to the extremities only)
• Refers to a structure being
further away from the root of
the limb than another structure
in the limb
Superficial:
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the surface of the body
than another structure
Deep:
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the core of the body
than another structure
Cranial/rostral:
• Refers to a structure being
closer to the forehead than
another structure
Caudal:
• Refers to a structure closer to
the tail than another structure
• Prone: Lying face down
• Supine: Lying face up
• Unilateral: Pertaining to
one side of the body
• Bilateral: Pertaining to
both sides of the body
• Ipsilateral: one side of the
body
• Contralateral: on opposite
side of body
Basic body planes or sections:
• These terms are used for
planes or sections that
cut the body, organs,
tissue, or cells
• Allow one to obtain a
three-dimensional
perspective by studying
the body from different
views
Example of how planes would cut the brain:
Sagittal plane:
• The plane dividing the
body into right and left
portions
• Midsagittal or median
are names for the plane
dividing the body into
equal right and left
halves
Coronal (frontal) plane:
• The plane dividing the
body into front and back
portions
Transvers plane:
• The horizontal plane dividing
the body into upper and
lower portions
• Also called the horizontal
plane
Movements:
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Flexion
Extension
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Hyperextension
Adduction
Abduction
Prontaion
Supination
Retraction
Protraction
Elevation
Depression
Rotation
Circumduction
External/lateral Rotation (supination)
Internal/medial Rotation (pronation)
Inversion
Eversion
Dorsiflexion
Plantarflexion
Radial Deviation
Ulnar Deviation Opposition
Flexion:
• Bending a joint or decreasing the
angle between two bones
• In the fetal position we are flexing
our joints
Extension:
• Straightening a joint or increasing
the angle between two bones
• In the Anatomical position we are
extending our joints
Hyperextension:
• Excessive extension of the parts at a
joint beyond anatomical position
Flexion/Extension/Hyperextension
Abduction:
• Moving a body part
away from the midline
of the body
Adduction:
• Moving a body part
towards the midline of
the body
Internal/medial
rotation:
• Is rotation towards the
center of the body
External/lateral
rotation:
• Is rotation away from the
centre of the body
Pronation:
• Turning the arm
downward
Supination:
• Turning the arm upward
Retraction:
• Moving a part
backward
Protraction:
• Moving a part forward
Elevation:
• Raising a part
Depression:
• Lowering a part
Rotation:
• Turning on a single
axis
Circumduction:
• Tri-planar, circular
motion at the
shoulder or hip
produced by flexion,
abduction, extension
and abduction
motions
Lateral Flexion:
• Side-bending left or
right
Inversion:
• Turning the sole of the foot
inward
Eversion:
• Turning the sole of the foot
outward
Dorsiflexion:
• Ankle movement bringing the
foot towards the shin
Plantarflexion:
• Ankle movement pointing the
foot downward
Radial Deviation:
• Movement of the wrist
towards the radius or lateral
side
Ulnar Deviation:
• Movement of the wrist
towards the ulna or medial
side
Opposition:
• Movement of the thumb
across the palm of the hand
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ATTENTION