1.
INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY
The word ‘Anatome’ is Greek origin meaning cutting up
(Ana- up; tome – process of cutting).
Anatomy is the basic medical science, which deals of
the structure of human body and their relationship.
Anatomy is subdivided according to the method of
description into:
1) Gross (macroscopic) anatomy
Regional anatomy
Systemic anatomy
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2) Microscopic anatomy ( = Histology)
3) Other subdivisions:
Clinical anatomy
Surgical anatomy
Surface anatomy
Radiological anatomy
Developmental anatomy
Embryology
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Gross (macroscopic) anatomy:
which deals with the body details which are seen by
the naked eye.
It is studied by means of dissection of the body.
It is further subdivided in to:
a) Regional anatomy: study of a discrete portion
of the body. E.g. upper limb, lower limb, thorax
etc
b) Systemic anatomy: study of a particular
system as it is traced throughout the whole
body, e.g. Reproductive system, Respiratory
system…etc.
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Microscopic anatomy
Which deals with the fine details of the body (cells and
tissues).
It is studied by the use of microscopic techniques
is also called Histology
Applied (Clinical) anatomy:
Emphasizes aspects of body structure and function
important in the practice of medicine, dentistry, and
the allied health sciences.
It stresses clinical application.
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Surgical anatomy:
is the study of anatomy in connection with surgical
operations and surgical procedures (e.g. anatomy of
surgical incisions, anatomy of surgical exposures…..).
Surface anatomy
is the study of the surface landmarks of the
underlying body points, muscles and tendons.
e.g. surface anatomy of the heart, the lung or the main
nerves and vessels).
.
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Radiological anatomy:
is the study of anatomy using radiological techniques
e.g. X-rays, CT scan, ultrasound and MRI to
demonstrate the bones or some internal organs as the
heart, lungs, kidneys, stomach and intestine
Developmental anatomy:
study of changes in an individual from conception to
old age.
• Embryology: study of the developmental changes
that occur before birth (from fertilization to birth)
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1.2 Level of Structural Organization
Chemical/molecular Level: interaction of atoms
Cell Level: functional unit of life
Tissue Level: group of similar cells and the
materials surrounding them
Organ Level: one or more tissues functioning
together
E.g. heart, lung, kidney…
Organ System Level: group of organs functioning
together e.g. respiratory, cardiovascular
systems….
Organism Level: any living thing.
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1.2.1 Anatomical positions
It is the position of the human
body which is used as reference
in describing the position and
relations of the various
anatomical structures.
The person is standing erect
The arms straight by the
sides with the palms facing
forwards- supine position
The legs close together with
the feet parallel and the toes
directed forwards
The head and eyes are facing
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Human Body Regions
• The human body region is divided in to two major
regions:
1. Axial body regions
2. Appendicular body regions
Axial body regions consists of the head, neck, and
the trunk.
Trunk may be categorized as the thorax and
Abdominopelvic cavity, separated by a dome-
shaped structure called the diaphragm.
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2. Appendicular body regions
• Appendicular body regions consists of the
appendages also called extremities or Limbs
Upper limbs- includes the brachium, Antebrachium
(forearm), carpus or wrist, manus or the hand and
the digits (fingers)
Lower Limbs- the thigh, the leg ( crus) , tarsus and
the toes ( digits)
 N.B. In strict anatomical terms, “arm” refers only to
that part of upper limbs b/n the shoulder & the
elbow, while the “leg” refers the part of the lower
limbs b/n the knee and ankle.
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1.2.Anatomical planes:
flat imaginary line that divide the body or an organs
A. sagittal plane:
midsagital plane
• It is the vertical plan which passes exactly in the
middle of the body thus dividing it longitudinally
into symmetrical right and left halves.
• It is called because it is situated it the direction of
the sagittal suture of the skull.
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B. Coronal plane
It is the vertical plane which lies at a right angle to the
median plane.
It divides the body longitudinally into anterior and
posterior parts.
N.B. It is called coronal because it is situated in the
direction of the coronal suture of the skull.
C. Horizontal plane
It is a transverse plane which runs horizontally at a
right angle to the vertical plane.
It divides the body into upper and lower parts.
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Divisions of Abdominopelvic region
used to describe the location of abdominal organs
and the pain associated with abdominal problems , to
address such type of problems the two methods are
commonly used :
a four-quadrant pattern :- For general clinical
descriptions, clinicians use 4 quadrants defined by 2
planes
Transumbilical plane
Median plane:
Nine-region organizational description: Clinicians
subdivide abdominal cavity in to 9 regions to locate
abdominal organs or pain sites
demarcated by 4 planes
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Four quadrants Nine regions
RMCP LMCP
L1
L5
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Organs of the Abdominopelvic Regions
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Anatomical Terminology
Superior (cranial)- Toward the head or to the upper
part of the structure (above)
• Eg. Of usage -The heart is superior to the
diaphragm
• Inferior ( caudal) :- Away from the head or toward
the lower parts of the structure ( below) Eg. The
liver is inferior to the diaphragm
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Directional terms …
• Anterior ( ventral ):- Nearer to or at the front of
the body.
– The sternum is anterior to the heart
• Posterior ( dorsal) :- Nearer to or at the back of
the body.
– The esophagus is posterior to the trachea
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Directional terms …
• Medial :- Nearer to the mid line of the body or a
structure. The heart is medial to the lungs
• Lateral :- Further from the mid line of the body or a
structure. The eyes are lateral to the nose
• Ipislateral :- On the same side of the body. The right
arm and right leg are epsilateral
• Contra lateral:- On the opposite side of the body.
The right and left kidneys are conrtalateral
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Directional terms …
• Proximal :- Nearer to the attachment of the
extremity (limb) to the trunk or a structure
further from the point of origin.
– The elbow is proximal to the wrist.
• Distal :- Further from the attachment of an
extremity (limb) to the trunk or a structure
further from the point of origin.
– The fingernails are at the distal ends of the fingers
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Directional terms …
• Superficial :- closer to or toward or on the
surface of the body.
– The skin is superficial to the muscles
• Deep :- further or away from the surface of
the body.
– The bones are deep to the muscles
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Directional terms …
• Parietal :- Pertaining to or forming the outer
wall of a body cavity.
– Parietal pleura - pleura attached to the thoracic
wall
• Visceral :- Pertaining to the covering of an
organ (viscus) with in the ventral body cavity.
– visceral pleura – pleura covering the lungs
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Internal and external
Internal: refers to a position nearer to the cavity
of the viscous
External: refers to a position away from the
cavity of the viscous
Middle
It is a term which refers to a position between
two points as follows:
Between anterior and posterior
Between superior and inferior
Between internal and external
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Terms of movement
Flexion and extension
Flexion: bending of the joint so as to decrease the
angle b/n joints.
Extension: is the reverse of flexion, i.e. it increase
the angle b/n the joints.
Adduction and abduction
Adduction: is the movement of the limb medially
towards the median plane
Abduction: is the reverse of adduction, i.e. it
moves the limb laterally away from the median
plane.
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Circumduction
– It is a series(sum) of
flexion, extension,
abduction, and
adduction movements
which follow one
another in succession.
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Pronation and supination
pronation: The palm of the hand turns backwards
or downwards
supination: The palm faces forwards of upwards
Opposition: approximation of the thumb to the
other fingers.
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Other movements:
Elevation: moving up
Protraction: moving anteriorly
Depression: moving down
Retraction: moving posteriorly
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Inversion and eversion
These movements occur in the foot at the subtalar
(talocalcaneonavicular) joint
inversion: The sole of the foot (its inferior
surface) is directed inwards.
eversion: the sole is directed outwards.
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Body cavities
 Spaces with in the body that contains, protectes, and
suports and separet internal organes.
 They are two types :
Dorsal cavity protects the nervous system, and is
divided into two subdivisions
Cranial cavity is within the skull and encases the
brain
Vertebral cavity runs within the vertebral column
and encases the spinal cord
 Ventral cavity houses the internal organs (viscera),
and is divided into two subdivisions: -Thoracic and
Abdominopelvic cavity.
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 Thoracic cavity is subdivided into pleural cavities,
the mediastinum, and the pericardial cavity
Pleural cavities – each houses a lung
Mediastinum – contains the pericardial cavity,
and surrounds the remaining thoracic organs
It extends anteriorly from sternum up to vertebrae
posteriorly.
Pericardial cavity – encloses the heart
The abdominopelvic cavity is separated from the
superior thoracic cavity by the dome-shaped
diaphragm
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 Abdominopelvic cavity composed of two
subdivisions
Abdominal cavity – contains the stomach,
intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs
Pelvic cavity – lies within the pelvis and
contains the Urinary bladder, reproductive
organs, and rectum
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Ventral Body Cavity Membranes
 Parietal membrane- lines internal body walls
 Visceral membrane- covers the internal organs
 Serous fluid- separates the two membranes
- used for lubrication & reduce friction
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40.
Systems of the body
The 11 human systems
• Integumentary
• Skeletal
• Muscular
• Nervous
• Endocrine
• Circulatory
Cardiovascular
Lymphatic
• Respiratory
• Digestive
• Urinary
• Reproductive
• Immune
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Quiz
1.Write the three Thoracic cavity subdivision
2. write the two body cavity
3. write the three anatomic plane
4. Write the three Ventral Body Cavity Membranes
5. Write the two major body regions
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