Basic Rules of Naming in Anatomy

Basic Rules of naming in anatomy • • • • • • • All medical terms have at least one word root (almost all have. Some like diarrhoea does not have a word root). Sometimes more than one word root may be present. Not all medical terms have a prefix, suffix or combining vowel Combining vowels are used to connect word roots (combining more than one word root together) or word root and suffix When a suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is not used. Example, arthritis. When connecting two-word roots, a combining vowel is usually used even if vowels are present at the junction. For example, oste/o/arthr/it is Usually, medical terms are defined by starting at the end of the term and going back the beginning. Examples of tis include: - Osteoarthritis: Inflammation of the joints and bone - Tonsillitis: Inflammation of the tonsils Appendicectomy (or appendectomy): Removal of the appendix - Cardiology: Study if the structure, function, and disorders of the heart Longest word in the dictionary Pneumono/ultramicroscopic/silico/volcano/coniosis: A lung disease caused by breathing in minute (microscopic) particles of siliceous volcanic dust • • • • • Pneumono – Lungs Ultramicroscopic – Really small Silico – Silicon Volcano – Volcanic Coniosis – Condition/disease Confusing Medical Terms • • • • • Importance of spelling and pronunciation Using a medical dictionary The “sound a like terms” “Look alike terms” Caution when using abbreviations Homonyms Homophones Ilium: The largest and most superior of the three bones that join from the hipbone Ileum: Lower 3/5 of the small intestines Dysphagia: Difficulty in swallowing Dysphasia: Impairment or loss of the power to use or understand speech, caused by disease of, or injury to the brain (such as in a stroke). Homographs Cervical: narrow portion of the uterus Cervical: relating to the neck, part of the cspine Dermatome: An area of skin that sends sensory information to spinal cord Dermatome: A surgical instrument used in skin grafting Pelvis: lower part of the trunk of the human body between the abdomen and the thighs Pelvis in Latin means a basin. bucket or a Pelvis: Funnel-shaped area in the kidney Anatomical Position The normal anatomical position: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ The body standing upright The feet at shoulder width and parallel (feet and shoulder are at the same level) Toes forward. The upper limbs are held out to each side The palms of the hands face forward Anatomical Terms of the Body Position and Direction Term Anterior/Ventral Posterior/Dorsal Supine Prone Lateral SemiRecumbent Trendelenburg Supine and Prone Lateral Definition Toward the front of the body Toward the back of the body Body is lying face up Body is lying face down Body is lying on the side, either left or right Reclined position. Lying down, popped up at waist Lying down, face up, legs elevated Semi-Recumbent Trendelenburg Anatomical terms of location Term Superior or cranial Inferior or caudal Medial Lateral Proximal Distal Definition Above Below Towards the middle (close the middle side of the body. For example, if you find a mole near the middle of the body, we stay it is medial). Towards the side Towards the attachment of a limb Towards the fingers/toes or away from the attachment of a limb Body Planes ✓ The sagittal plane: Divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sides. ✓ The frontal plane: Divides the body or an organ into an anterior (front) portion and a posterior (rear) portion. The frontal plane is often referred to as a coronal plane. (“Corona” is Latin for “crown.”) Use coronal rather than fontal. Because it is easier. ✓ The transverse plane is the plane that divides the body or organ horizontally into upper and lower portions. Transverse planes produce images referred to as cross sections. Practice Questions 1. What is the position of the body when it is in the “normal anatomical position”? A. The person is prone with upper limbs, including palms, touching sides and lower limbs touching at sides. B. The person is standing facing the observer, with upper limbs extended out at a ninety-degree angle from the torso and lower limbs in a wide stance with feet pointing laterally C. The person is supine with upper limbs, including palms, touching sides and lower limbs touching at sides. D. None of the above 2. To make a banana split, you halve a banana into two long, thin, right and left sides along the ________. A. Coronal plane B. longitudinal plane C. Sagittal plane D. Transverse plane