INTRODUCTION to anatomy

1. UNIT 1:
ANATOMICAL TERMINALOGIES
MRS MWEEMBA MUTALIFE .F
(MSc AN, BSc PT, Dip PT)

2. OBJECTIVES
 After the discussion, the student should be
able to;
1. Demonstrate the anatomical position
2. Identify three planes most commonly
used in the study of anatomy
3. Use anatomical language

3. What is Anatomy
 Is the science of the structures of the human
body including its origin & development,
relations & correlations, variations of tissues
& organs.
 It is a Greek word anatome
 Ana ---------- apart
 Tome -------- to cut

4. History of anatomy
 It was developed in ancient Greece
 Later studied by Egyptians thousand years ago
 Gradually physicians & philosophers built upon
concepts and refined it
 Andreas Vesalius the father of modern anatomy
refined the body of anatomical knowledge
 Anatomical knowledge forms a foundation to
medical practitioners
 Anatomy can be studied in different ways such
as; gross, histology (microscopic) and
embryology.

5. Anatomical Terms
 Derive from ancient Greek and Latin
words
 Anatomists and health care providers
use terminologies
 the purpose is to increase precision
and reduce medical errors.
 Anatomical terms are made up of
roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

6. Cont...
 The root of a term often refers to an
organ, tissue, or condition,
 whereas the prefix or suffix often
describes the root.
 For example, in the disorder
hypertension, the prefix “hyper-”
means “high” or “over,”
 and the root word “tension” refers to
pressure,

7. Cont...
 Suffixes letter or letters added to the
ending word
 Suffixes are attached to the end of a
word root to add meaning such as
condition, disease process, or
procedure.
◦ suffix -itis means an inflammation,
◦ so appendicitis is an inflammation of the
appendix.

8. Anatomical terminology
Anatomical position
 standardized reference
position in which you view
the body.
 the body standing upright,
with the feet at shoulder
width and parallel, toes
forward, upper limbs are held
out to each side, and the
palms of the hands face

9. Cont..
 Anterior (ventral) aspect: that seen when
viewing the patient from the front.
 Posterior (dorsal) aspect: that seen when
viewing the patient from the back.


10. Cont..
 Lateral aspect: refers to any view of the patient
from the side e.g. side of the head would therefore
be the lateral aspect of the cranium.
 Medial aspect: refers to the side of a body part
closest to the midline, e.g. the inner side of a limb
is the medial aspect of that limb.

11. Cont…
 Superior - The upward
surface.
 Inferior - The downward
surface. For example, the
top of the head is a
superior surface, the soles
of the feet an inferior
surface.

12. Cont…
 Cranial - Towards the head.
 Caudal - towards the buttocks.
 Central - Towards the centre of the body.
 Peripheral - Towards the surface of the
body or away from the centre.

14. Cont...
 Medial - Towards the
middle or towards the
median plane.
 Lateral - Away from the
middle or away from the
median plane
 Proximal - Towards the
point of attachment of the
limb to the body.
 Distal - Further away from
the trunk.

15. Positioning terminologies
Body Planes
 A plane is an imaginary two-dimensional surface
that passes through the body.
 There are three (3) planes commonly referred to
in anatomy and medicine,
 Median / Sagittal,
 Frontal (or coronal), and
 Transverse / axial plane

17. Body planes cont..
 Sagittal plane divides the body into a right & a left
half also known as the median plane.

18. Cont..
 Vertical (coronal or frontal) planes at
right angles to the sagittal plane divides
the body into a front & a back

19. Cont..
 Horizontal or transverse planes divide the
body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior)
portions by which are at right angles to both the
frontal and sagittal planes

20. Cont...
 Erect position (upright), the patient may be
standing or sitting
 Decubitus: the patient is lying down.
 may be lying in any of the following positions:
◦ Prone lying a face-down orientation,
◦ Supine lying a face up orientation.
◦ Lateral : lying on the side.
◦ Semi-recumbent: reclining
 describes how the patient is positioned for
the various radiographic projection

21. Regional Terms
 The human body’s numerous regions have
specific terms to help increase precision
 E.g “brachium” or “arm” is reserved for the
upper arm
 “antebrachium” or “forearm” is used rather
than lower arm.
 “femur” or “thigh” between hip and knee joint
 “leg” or “crus” is reserved for the portion of
the lower limb between the knee and the
ankle.

23. Cont…
 The central region of the body
consists of the
◦ head, neck and trunk.
 The trunk can be divided into the 3
◦ thorax (chest),
◦ Abdomen (region between the thorax and
pelvis)
◦ pelvis (the inferior end of the trunk
associated with the hips).

24.  The lower limb is divided into the
◦ thigh, leg, ankle and foot.
 The thigh extends from the hip to the
knee
 the leg extends from the knee to the
ankle joint
 Foot

25. Movement
 Extension: when the angle of the joint
increases.
 Flexion: when the angle of the joint decreases.
 Abduction: refers to a movement away from
the midline.
 Adduction: refers to a movement towards the
midline.
 Rotation: movement of the body part around
its own axis, e.g. medial (internal) rotation
towards the midline, or lateral (external)
rotation away from the midline.
 Pronation: movement of the hand and forearm
in which the palm is moved from facing
anteriorly (as per anatomical position) to
posteriorly.
 Supination is the reverse of this.

26. Movements
 Flexion - It is described as the
approximation (moving closer
together) of two ventral surfaces
of the body e.g. flexing the
elbow joint.
 Extension - This movement is
the opposite of flexion,
 it also takes place about a transverse
axis and
 occurs when you approximate two
dorsal surfaces.

27. Movement cont…
 Abduction when the arm
is taken sideways away
from the body
 Adduction - The returned
from such a position to the
side of the body.

28. Movement cont…..
 Rotation - This
movement takes
place about a
longitudinal axis.
 Internal (inner)
 external
(outer)rotation.

29. Movement cont…
 Inversion and Eversion -
terms used to describe
movements of the foot,
 inversion occurs when you lift
up the medial border of the foot.
 eversion occurs when the lateral
border of the foot is lifted up

30. Movement cont..
 Dorsi flexion occurs at
the ankle joint when you
draw the toes upwards
towards the shin
(extension)
 Plantar flexion - ankle
joint movement
downwards (flexion) .

31. Movement cont..
 Supination forearm is able to
rotate about its longitudinal
axis so that, with the elbow
flexed to a right angle it is
possible for the hand to be
placed palm up
 Pronation - the hand placed
palm down.

32. Body Cavities
 A body cavity is any space or
compartment, or potential space in the
human body
 The dorsal (posterior) cavity and
the ventral (anterior) cavity are the largest
body compartments.
 These cavities contain and protect delicate
internal organs
 the ventral cavity allows for significant
changes in the size and shape of the
organs as they perform their functions.

34. Subdivisions of the Posterior
and Anterior Cavities
 The posterior (dorsal) and anterior (ventral)
cavities are each subdivided into smaller
cavities.
 In the posterior (dorsal) cavity we find the;
◦ cranial cavity houses the brain
◦ spinal cavity (or vertebral cavity) encloses the
spinal cord.
 The brain and spinal cord are protected by
the bones of the skull and vertebral column
and
 by cerebrospinal fluid, a colorless fluid.

35. Cont...
 The anterior (ventral) cavity has two
main subdivisions:
◦ thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic
cavity.
 The thoracic cavity is the more
superior and it is enclosed by the rib
cage.
 contains the lungs and the heart,
 The diaphragm forms the floor of the
thoracic cavity

36. Cont...
 The abdominopelvic cavity is the
largest cavity in the body.
 no membrane physically divides the
abdominopelvic cavity,
 it can be useful to distinguish between
the 2
 abdominal cavity houses the digestive
organs
 pelvic cavity houses the organs of
reproduction.

37. Body Cavities

38. Abdominal Regions and
Quadrants
 To promote clear communication, for
instance about the location of a
patient’s abdominal pain or a
suspicious mass,
 health care providers typically divide
up the cavity into either nine regions
or four quadrants

39. 4 Quadrants
 Divided by two
imaginary lines—one
horizontal and one
vertical that intersect
at the navel
 The quadrants formed
are the
◦ right-upper,
◦ left-upper,
◦ right-lower, and
◦ left-lower quadrants.

40. 9 regions
 the abdomen is sometimes
subdivided into 9 regions
by 4 imaginary lines:
◦ two horizontal and two
vertical.
 resulting in nine regions:
◦ epigastric,
◦ right and left
hypochondriac,
◦ umbilical,
◦ right and left lumbar,
◦ hypogastric, and
◦ right and left iliac.

41. Cont...

42. Clinical application
 the quadrants or regions as reference
points for locating underlying organs.
 For example, the appendix is located
in the right-lower quadrant, and the
pain of an acute appendicitis is usually
felt there.

43. References
 Standring Susan Grays anatomy 39th
ed
 Drake Richard et.al Grays anatomy for
students 2nd ed
Twalumba