An Introduction to Anatomy:-
By:-Dr.Abdalaziz Subait
Lahmadi.
Dec.19th ,2023.
The objectives of the lecture:-
• To know the definition of anatomy.
• To describe the anatomical terms ,plans , and
positions.
• To describe body parts, and regions.
What is anatomy?
• Anatomy :- is the science of the structure and
function of the body.
• Anatomy:- is the setting (structure) in which
the events (functions) of life occur.
• Anatomy :- is the study of structures that can
be seen without using a microscopic.
• Anatomy:- includes those structures that can
be seen grossly (without the aid of
magnification) and microscopically (with the
aid of magnification). Typically, when used
by itself, the term anatomy tends to mean
gross or macroscopic . anatomy-that is, the
study of structures that can be seen without
using a microscopic. Microscopic anatomy, also
called histology , is the study of cells and
tissues using a microscope.
How to do you studying anatomy?
• The three main approaches to studying anatomy
are :-
1- regional,
2- systemic,
3- and clinical (or applied).
• Which reflecting the body’s organization and the
priorities and purposes for studying it.
Regional anatomy:-
• Regional anatomy(topographical anatomy)
considers the organization of the human body as
major parts or segments (Fig.1): a main body,
consisting of the head, neck, and trunk
(subdivided into thorax, abdomen, back, and
pelvis/perineum), and paired upper limbs and
lower limbs. All the major parts may be further
subdivided into areas and regions.
• Regional anatomy is the method of studying the
body’s structure by focusing attention on a
specific part (e.g., the head), area (the face), or
region (the orbital or eye region); examining the
arrangement and relationships of the various
systemic structures (muscles, nerves, arteries,
etc.) within it; and then usually continuing to
study adjacent regions in an ordered sequence.
Figure No.1
• Regional anatomy also recognizes the body’s
organization by layers: skin, subcutaneous
tissue, and deep fascia covering the deeper
structures of muscles, skeleton, and cavities,
which contain viscera(internal organs). Many of
these deeper structures are partially evident
beneath the body’s outer covering and may be
studied and examined in living individuals via
surface anatomy.
Surface anatomy :-
• Surface anatomy is an essential part of the study
of regional anatomy.
• Surface anatomy that provide knowledge of
what lies under the skin and what structures are
perceptible to touch (palpable) in the living body
at rest and in action.(fig.2)
Figure No.2
Systemic anatomy :-
• Systemic anatomy is the study of the body’s
organ systems that work together to carry out
complex functions. The basic systems and the
field of study or treatment of each (in
parentheses) are:
• The integumentary system(dermatology)
• The skeletal system(osteology)
• The articular system(arthrology)
• • The articular system(arthrology)
• • The muscular system(myology)
• • The nervous system(neurology)
• • The circulatory system(angiology)
• The cardiovascular system(cardiology)
• The lymphatic system.
• • The alimentary or digestive system(gastroenterology)
• • The respiratory system(pulmonology)
• • The urinary system(urology)
• The genital (reproductive) system(gynecology
for females; andrology for males)
• • The endocrine system(endocrinology).
Clinical anatomy:-
• Clinical anatomy(applied anatomy)
emphasizes aspects of bodily structure and
function important in the practice of medicine,
dentistry, and the allied health sciences.
• It incorporates the regional and systemic
approaches to studying anatomy and stresses
clinical application.
• Clinical anatomy often involves inverting or
reversing the thought process typically followed
when studying regional or systemic anatomy.
Anatomical terminology:-
• Anatomical terminology introduces and makes
up a large part of medical terminology.
• To be understood, you must express yourself
clearly, using the proper terms in the correct
way.
• Although you are familiar with common,
colloquial terms for parts and regions of the
body,
• you must learn the international anatomical
terminology(e.g., axillary fossa instead of armpit
and clavicle instead of collarbone).
Structure of terms:-
• Anatomy is a descriptive science and requires
names for the many structures and processes of
the body.
• Because most terms are derived from Latin and
Greek, medical language may seem difficult at
first;
• however, as you learn the origin of terms, the
words make sense.
• For example, the term gaster is Latin for
stomach or belly.
• Many terms provide information about a structure’s shape, size,
location, or function or about the resemblance of one structure to
another.
• For example:-
• some muscles have descriptive names to indicate their main
characteristics. The deltoid muscle , which is triangular, like the
symbol for delta , the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. The suffix –
oid means “like”; therefore, deltoid means like delta.
• Biceps means two-headed and triceps means three-headed.
• Some muscles are named according to their shape ,the piriformis
muscle , for example, is pear shaped (L. pirum , pear +L. forma , shape
or form).
• Other muscles are named according to their location. The temporal
muscle is in the temporal region (temple) of the cranium (skull).
• In some cases, actions are used to describe muscles—for example, the
levator scapulae elevates the scapula (L. shoulder blade).
• Abbreviations:-Abbreviations of terms are used for brevity in
medical histories for example, temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Anatomical Position:-
• All anatomical descriptions are expressed in
relation to one consistent position,
• ensuring that descriptions are not ambiguous
(Figs. 1 ,3,4,and 5).
• One must visualize this position in the mind when
describing patients (or cadavers),
• whether they are lying on their sides,
• supine (recumbent, lying on the back, face
upward),
• or prone (lying on the abdomen, face downward).
The anatomical position :-
• The normal anatomical position refers to
the body position as if;
• the person were standing upright .
• • with the head, gaze (eyes), and toes directed
anteriorly (forward),
• • arms adjacent to the sides with the palms
facing anteriorly, and
• • lower limbs close together with the feet
parallel.
• All descriptions of the human body are based on
the assumption that the person is:-
• standing erect,
• with the upper limbs by the sides,
• and the face and palms of the hands directed
forward.
• This is the so-called anatomic position .
• The various parts of the body are then described
in relation to certain imaginary planes.
• The anatomical position:- is the standard reference
position of the body used to describe the location of
structures , The body is in the anatomical position when ;
• standing upright with feet together,
• hands by the side .
• and face looking forward.
• The mouth is closed .
• and the facial expression is neutral.
• The rim of bone under the eyes is in the same
horizontal plane as the top of the opening to the ear,
• and the eyes are open and focused on something in the
distance.
• The palms of the hands face forward with the fingers
straight and together and with the pad of the thumb
turned 90° to the pads of the fingers.
• The toes point forward.
• The anatomical position is adopted globally for
anatomicomedical descriptions.
• By using this position and appropriate
terminology, you can relate any part of the body
precisely to any other part.
• It should also be kept in mind, however, that gravity
causes a downward shift of internal organs (viscera)
when the upright position is assumed.
• Since people are typically examined in the supine
position, it is often necessary to describe the
position of the affected organs when supine, making
specific note of this exception to the anatomical
position.
Figure No.3
Figure No.4
Figure No.5
Anatomical Planes:-
• Anatomical descriptions are based on four
imaginary planes (median, sagittal, frontal, and
transverse) that intersect the body in the
anatomical position (Fig. 3,4,and 5):-
• 1- The median plane (median sagittal plane).
• 2- Sagittal planes (paramedian,or parasagital).
• 3- Frontal (coronal) planes.
• 4- Transverse ( horizontal, or axial )planes.
The median plane :-
• The median plane (median sagittal plane)
is:-
• the vertical plane
• passing longitudinally through the body,
• divides the body into right and left halves.
• The plane defines the midline of the head, neck,
and trunk where it intersects the surface of the
body.
• Midline is often erroneously used as a synonym
for the median plane.
Sagittal planes :-
• Sagittal planes are:-
• vertical planes passing through the body parallel
to the median plane.
• Parasagittal is commonly used but is
unnecessary because any plane parallel to and
on either side of the median plane is sagittal by
definition.
• However, a plane parallel and near to the
median plane may be referred to as a
paramedian plane.
Frontal (coronal) planes :-
• Frontal (coronal) planes are vertical planes
passing through the body at right angles to the
median plane,
• dividing the body into anterior (front) and
posterior (back) parts.
Transverse planes :-
• Transverse planes are horizontal planes passing
through the body at right angles to the median
and frontal planes,
• dividing the body into superior (upper) and
inferior (lower) parts.
• Radiologists refer to transverse planes as
Transaxial , which is commonly shortened to
axial planes.
Terms of Relationship , and
Comparison:-
• Various adjectives, arranged as pairs of
opposites, describe the relationship of parts of
the body or compare the position of two
structures relative to each other (Fig. 3,5,and 6).
• Some of these terms are specific for comparisons
made in the anatomical position, or with
reference to the anatomical planes:-
• Superior ; refers to a structure that is nearer the
vertex , the topmost point of the cranium (Mediev.
L., skull).
• Inferior ; refers to a structure that is situated
nearer the sole of the foot.
• Cranial ; relates to the cranium and is a useful
directional term, meaning toward the head or
cranium.
• Caudal ; (L. cauda , tail) is a useful directional term
that means toward the feet or tail region,
represented in humans by the coccyx (tail bone), the
small bone at the inferior (caudal) end of the
vertebral column.
• Posterior(dorsal) ; denotes the back surface
of the body or nearer to the back.
• Anterior(ventral) ; denotes the front surface
of the body.
• Rostral ; is often used instead of anterior when
describing parts of the brain; it means toward
the rostrum (L. for beak).
• Medial ; is used to indicate that a structure is
nearer to the median plane of the body.
• Lateral ; stipulates that a structure is farther
away from the median plane.
• Dorsum ; usually refers to the superior aspect of any
part that protrudes anteriorly from the body, such as
the dorsum of the tongue, nose, penis, or foot. It is
also used to describe the posterior surface of the hand,
opposite the palm.
• The sole ; is the inferior aspect or bottom of the foot,
opposite the dorsum.
• The surface of the hands, the feet, and the digits of
both corresponding to the dorsum is the dorsal
surface .
• the surface of the hand and fingers corresponding to
the palm is the palmar surface .
• and the surface of the foot and toes corresponding to
the sole is the plantar surface.
Combined terms :-
• Combined terms describe intermediate
positional arrangements:-
• inferomedial ; means nearer to the feet and
median plane ; for example, the anterior parts of
the ribs run inferomedially.
• superolateral ; means nearer to the head and
farther from the median plane.
• Other terms of relationship and comparisons are
independent of the anatomical position or the
anatomical planes, relating primarily to the
body’s surface or its central core:-
• Superficial, intermediate , and deep ;
describe the position of structures relative to the
surface of the body or the relationship of one
structure to another underlying or overlying
structure.
• External ; means outside of or farther from the
center of an organ or cavity,
• while internal ; means inside or closer to the
center, independent of direction.
• Proximal and distal are used when
contrasting positions nearer to or farther from
the attachment of a limb or the central aspect of
a linear structure, respectively.
Terms of Laterality:-
• Paired structures having right and left members (e.g., the
kidneys) are bilateral ,
• where as those occurring on one side only (e.g., the spleen)
are unilateral .
• Designating whether you are referring specifically to the
right or left member of bilateral structures can be critical,
and is a good habit to begin at the outset of one’s training to
become a health professional.
• Something occurring on the same side of the body as
another structure is ipsilateral ; the right thumb and right
great (big) toe are ipsilateral .
• Contralateral ; means occurring on the opposite side of
the body relative to another structure; the right hand is
contralateral to the left hand.
Figure No.6
Reference:-
• Snell R. S, clinical anatomy by rigions; 9th ed. By
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer
business;2012;p:1-3.
• Moore K. L.,Dalley A. F., and Agur A. M.R., Morore
Clinical Orianted Anatomy; 7th ed. By Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer business;
2014; p:1-8.
• Drake R. L.,Vogl a. W.,Mitchell A. W. M.,Gray`s
Anatomy for Student;3rd ed. By Churchill
Livingstone, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.2015;p:1-4.
THANKS .
